Another yawn at Maitland Place

By M. Shamil Amit

The 44th annual encounter between Thurstan and Isipathana concluded at the SSC grounds yesterday ended in a drab draw with the match being called off with 7.1 overs left due to bad light. This is the 34th draw of the series and the eighth in succession. The last outright win was recorded by Isipathana in the year 1999 when the side was led by Krishantha Jayawardena.

Isipathana batsman Maneesha Ayomal who made 56 in action yersterday Pic by Ranjith Perera

The Thurstanites played some positive cricket scoring a formidable 272 for 8 in 74 overs on the first day. It was just the opposite by the Isipathanians who toiled for 114.1 overs to make a score of 219. The writing was in the wall when play stopped for lunch on day two yesterday with Isipathana making 142 for 4 from 80 overs of batting.

Apart from two knocks of 56 from Maneesha Ayomal who faced 212 balls and another patient 84 in 143 balls by Kanishka Amarasinghe were the only socalled highlights in the Isipatana inning.

Amarasinghe the most experience player of the side showed the way as he cracked 13 boundaries and a six during his stay at the wicket who also added 52 runs in 96 balls for the seventh wicket with Sachith Jayasinghe.

For Isipatana besides the number three, four and five batsmen, only Sachith Jayasinghe entered double figures.

For Thurstan Umesh Karunaratne bowled a marathon spell of thirty four overs to capture four wickets for the cost of only fifty three runs while opening bowler finished the innings with figures of two for thirty in fifteen overs.

Thurstan batting the second time went about the same pattern as in the first innings with the openers Charith Wickramaratane and Hasitha Perera having things their own way and posted the 50 runs in quick time. But with the latter’s dismissal with the score on 57 they lost two more quick wickets and slipped to 59 for 3 before the match was called off.