Skipper Umesh gives Thurstan maiden win over Thomians

Thurstan skipper and Sri Lanka youth player Umesh Karunaratne helped his side to record their third win of the season with a thrilling one wicket win over S. Thomas’ Mt Lavinia in their Under 20 inter-school cricket encounter concluded at Thurstan grounds in Reid Avenue yesterday. This incidentally is the first ever instance that the Thurstanites have recorded an outright win over the Thomians.

At the end of the first days play the match was evenly poised with both teams making the identical scores of 124. The home side who were nine wickets were bowled out 128 on day two morning.

Thomians batting the second time fell into deep trouble as they lost wickets at regular intervals with skipper Umesh ripping through the Thomian batting to bag 5 for 52. Thurstan chasing 136 for victory in 35 overs was helped by an unbeaten 43 from Buddhia Samarawickrama who along with last man Ranishka Gamage added a valuable 20 runs enabling them to reach the target in the third ball of the 34th over.

S. Thomas’ 124 (L.R. de Silva 26, R. Nirushan 24, D. Manamperi 21 n.o.; Ravindu Wijeratne 5 for 15, Umesh Karunaratne 2 for 51) and 139 (Thilina Nugawela 32, M. Saleem 24, R. Nirushan 19, Jehan Thahir 36 n.o; Umesh Karunaratne 5 for 52, Geeth Kumara 3 for 20, Ravindu Wijeratne 2 for 36)

Thurstan (124/9 o’night) 128 (Indika Massalage 43, Charith Perera 26, Achala Ramanayake 23; U. Fernando 3 for 19, M. Fernando 3 for 41, N. Ghany 3 for 43) and 136 for 9 (Charith Perera 22, Buddhi Samarawickrama 43 n.o.; M. Fernando 3 for 32, U. Fernando 3 for 32)

Sebs rout Royal by five wickets
St Sebastian’s routed Royal by five wickets in their Under 20 inter-school match concluded at Moratuwa yesterday to record their second win within three years against this opponent.

Opener Banuka Rajapakse’s knock of 89 in the second innings of Royal could not prevent them from saving the match as the late order batsmen failed when it was needed the most. They were well placed on 117 for 3 but only managed a score of 223. This left the home team a simple target of 85 for victory which they reached with the minimum of fuss.

Royal 146 (Kushal Janith 33, Yasith Abeykoon 26, Lochana Premaratne 21; Anuk de Alwis 5 for 51, Sanjaya Fernando 3 for 26) and 223 (Banuka Rajapakse 89, Haroon Mowjood 21, Lochana Premaratne 37 n.o.; Anuk de Silva 4 for 55, Sanjaya Fernando 2 for 64))

St Sebastian’s (242/7 o’night) 285 for 9 declared (Rajitha Mendis 73, Trevin Fernando 71, Vidusara Peiris 23, Deshan Dias 21, Sanjaya Fernando 19, Ayeshan Perera 16, Janitha Jayawardena 30 n.o.; Kanishka Boteju 6 for 93, Haroon Mowjood 2 for 91) and 87 for 5 (Sanjaya Fernando 30, Ayeshan Perera 27 n.o.; Charith Fernando 2 for 17, Kanishka Boteju 2 for 32)

Ten wicket win for Cambrians
A ten wicket haul by right arm off spinner Chamesh Fernando (10 for 74) enabled Prince of Wales defeat Mahinda Galle by ten wickets in their match concluded at Moratuwa yesterday.

Mahinda 121 (Denuwan Rajakaruna 36; Chamesh Fernando 7 for 34, Shivantha Kumara 2 for 21) and 157 (Romesh Buddhika 64, Sajith Kelumpriya 52; Lahiru Sri Lakmal 3 for 7, Chamesh Fernando 3 for 40))

Prince of Wales (123/3 o’night) 261 for 6 declared (Rumesh Thirimanne 93, Sanka Peiris 54, Charith Fernando 34.; Pramod Chamara 2 for 38, Kaushal Gajasinghe 2 for 74) and 19 for no loss

Skipper Saroj steers Revatha MMV
A match bag of 10 for 57 by Revatha MMV skipper and right arm leggie Duminda Saroj helped their side open the inter-school cricket season on a winning note when they defeated Taxila Central Horana by five wickets in the match played at Balaptiya.
Revatha MMV though conceding a first inning lead to their opponents struck back to bowl them out for 94 leaving them a target of 122 for victory which they reached it comfortably.

Taxila Central 164 (K. Kumara 51, A. Ratnayake 34, H. Madusanka 24, T. Suresh 21.; Duminda Saroj 5 for 38, Lahiru Priyantha 3 for 17, Pathum Chinthaka 2 for 38) and 94 (T. Suresh 41.; Duminda Saroj 5 for 19, Lahiru Priyantha 3 for 22)

Revatha MMV 138 (Janith Chaturanga 45, Ruwan Kumara 18, Lahiru Priyantha 16.; T. Suresh 5 for 41, R. Chandimal 4 for 35) and 123 for 5 (Pradeep Nandana 50, Charith Priyadharshana 25, Lahiru Priyantha 15 n.o.; R. Chandimal 3 for 36)

Royal Panadura crush Holy Cross Kalutara
A fine knock of 118 by Sanath Ranjan and an all round performance from Dhammika Sri Ranawaka helped Royal Panadura crush Holy Cross Kalutara by an innings and 39 runs in their match concluded at Kalutara yesterday.

Holy Cross Kalutara 146 (Buddhika Sampath 29, Thenura Silva 23.; Dhammika Sri Ranawaka 5 for 41) and 141 (Vinod Lakshan 78; Pubudu Asanka 4 for 42, Dhammika Sri Ranawaka 2 for 40)

Royal Panadura 326 for 9 declared (Sanath Ranjan 118, Krishan Dinidu 59, Dhammika Sri Ranawaka 58, Pubudu Asanka 36, Charith Prasanna 23; Kushan Eranda 4 for 42)

Match drawn at Kotahena
The inter-school cricket match between St Benedict’s and Wesley concluded at Kotahena yesterday ended in a draw.

Wesley (177/9 o’night) 208 (Lahiru Fernando 40, Jefferey Vandersay 39, Sachindra Rupasinghe 23, Shakthi Siriratne 16, Ryan Kern 15, Dinesh de Silva 23 n.o.; Dilanka Auwardt 2 for 37, Dulshan Wanigasuriya 2 for 38, Suren Silva 2 for 50) and 89 for 9 declared (Dinesh de Silva 16 n.o., Jefferey Vandersay 15 n.o.; Dulshan Wanigasuriya 3 for 4, Dilanka Auwardt 3 for 19)

St Benedict’s 111 (Amila Perera 28; Jefferey Vandersay 4 for 38, Sachindra Rupasinghe 3 for 28) and 42 for 2 (S. Nandalal 17 n.o.; Shanuka Jeewantha 2 for 12)