Royal marooned

After a forty seven year drought, finally Ananda romped home to beat Royal by an innings and 37runs with fifteen mandatory overs to spare at Reid Avenue, yesterday. Ananda win came on time as shortly afterwards their victory heavy rains came down.
The match winner for Ananda was their skipper Malith Gunatilleke who finished with a match bag of 13 for 91 with his left arm leg spin deliveries. In the Royal’s first innings Malith had figures of 7 for 67 while in the second he was on the spot once again to finish with a haul of 6 for24.

Ananda last won this encounter way back in 1960 when the star studded Anandians led by Yatagama Ameradasa beat them.

Continuing from their overnight total of 52 for 2 in reply to Ananda’s 296 for 6 declared Royal were at sea despite a gallant 57 runs stand for the seventh wicket between Charith Fernando and skipper Haroon Mowjood. However they fell short of a single run to avoid the follow on as they were all out for 195.

With this victory Ananda staked claim for L.D.H. Peiris Trophy which was on offer from the year 2000.

Ananda 296 for 9 declared (Prabodha Seneviratne 80, Udara Jayasundara 67,Udara Peiris 56, Dilshan Silva 29.; Haroon Mowjood 5 for 75, Kanishka Boteju 3 for 55, Charith Fernando 2 for 40)

Royal (52/2 o’night) 195 (Charith Fernando 57, Dilan Nanayakkara 37, Dhiran Warnakulasuriya 37, Haroon Mowjood 16.; Malith Gunatilleke 7 for 67)- and 64 in 33 overs (Malith Gunatilleke 6 for 24, Udara Peiris 3 for 23.