The Anandians, who have up to now not had the best of seasons, got their act together to score a seven wicket win over Dharmaraja at Lake View. Janadi and Samarakoon entered the seventies to steer the visitors to 217 and a lead of 75.The Rajans had them in trouble overnight at 63 for 5, but the Anandians rallied and turned the pressure back on the Rajans. Spinners Matheesa Perera (5 for 36 and a match bag of 8 for 76) and Sachitra Perera (match bag of 10 for 112) had the batsmen gasping.

Isuru Thilina of Prince of Wales in action. (Pic Ranjith Perera)

Ananda made light of the task of getting the 53 needed for a win,reaching the target in less than nine overs. Dharmaraja 142 in 60 overs (Ramesh Bandara 50, Lahiru Herath 20,Tharaka Silva 15, Hemal Munaweera 18 n.o; Sachitra Perera 6 for 47, Matheesha Perera 3 for 40) and 128 in 42.1 overs (S. Weerakkodi 50, Rahula Ekanayake 20, J. Silva 17, S. Gunasekera 19; Matheesha Perera 5 for 36,Satchitra Perera 4 for 65)

Ananda 63 for 5 contd. 217 in 70.1 overs (Minura Janadi 70, Thushara Samarakoon 77, Kushan Gunatilleke 16 n.o; J. Silva 2 for 37, H. Munaweera 2 for 12,A.Withanaarachchi 3 for 59) and 55.3 in 8.3 overs (Geishan Wimaladharma 17, Sachin Devage 14)

St. Sebastian’s win at Police Grounds
St. Sebastians pulled off their sixth win of the season by beating the Sylvestrians very comfortably by an innings and 41 runs at the Police Grounds in Kandy.

Amila Aponso (match bag of 8 for 74), Romesh Fernando (57), Deshan Dias (51) and Samitha de Mel (71) were the architects of this win. Dias passed the 1000 run mark in the course of his half century.
The Sylvestrian batting which failed dismally in the first essay, improved quite a bit in the second.
Their 177 more than doubled the first innings score of 87 which had 27 extras.

St. Sylvester’s 87 in30.4 overs (Ruwantha Ekanayake 28, Amila Aponso 2 for 20, Anoj Gayashan 2 for 2,Anuk de Alwis 2 for 8) and 177 in 46.4 overs (Waruna Wijesinghe 35, Nuwan Nilantha 22, Faiz Ahmed 22; Amila Aponso 6 for 74, Anoj Gayashan 2 for 12)

St. Sebastian’s 305 in 62.2 overs (Deshan Dias 51, Ramesh Fernando 57,Anuk de Alwis 26, Sanitha de Mel 71, Charith Fernando 37; Dushan Malalasena 2 for 20, Faiz Ahmed 3 for 50, Waruns Wijesinghe 2 for 33, Dananjaya Athauda 2 for10)

Isipatana centurion Thivanka Ranasinghe in action yesterday.

St Peter’s defeat De Mazenod
By Shamil Amith
St Peter’s defeated De Mazenod Kandana by 109 runs in the Under 19 inter-school match concluded at Kandana yesterday. Mazenodians set a massive target of 303 runs to win were able to muster only 193.
St Peter’s 294 (Nilochana Perera 127, Andri Berenger 64, Akshu Fernando 50, Dushan Hemantha 30 n.o.: Wadeesha Jayasuriya 3 for 20, Nipuna Madusanka 2 for 49, Lakshan Rangika 2 for 80) and 114 for 3 declared (Shehan Fernando 16, Angelo Emmanuel 35 n.o., Kaushal Rodrigo 20 n.o.: Romarioa Soysa 2 for 31)

De Mazenod (64/5 o’night) 106 (Sakvithi Perera 35, Tharindu Costa 17: Lahiru Jayaratne 5 for 40) and 193 (Sasaka Kodituwakku 37, Tharindu Costa 35, Lakshan Rangika 35: Angelo Emmanuel 4 for 16, Dushan Hemantha 4 for 27)

Malshan 50 wickets
Prince of Wales right arm pacie Malshan Mendis reached the 50 wicket mark with his figures of 4 for 34 against Mahanama Colombo in the Under 19 cricket match which ended in a draw at Moratuwa yesterday.
The second day’s play saw Mahanama resuming from their overnight score of 20 for 1 making 167 with Lahiru Weerakoon making 78. This was in reply to Prince of Wales score of 247. Prince of Wales batting the second time ended the day making 186 for 6 wkts. with Isuru Thilina cracking a 93 with 11 boundaries and a six.

Prince of Wales 247 (Shehan Jayasuriya 71, Buddika de Alwis 61, Malshan Mendis 26 n.o.: Indunil Kumara 4 for 72, Randika Welikannage 3 for 53, Chathura Wanniarachchi 2 for 34) and 186 for 6 (Isuru Thilina 93, Shehan Jayasuriya 37, Thisaru de Mel 25 n.o.: Randika Welikannage 3 for 58, Aravinda de Silva 2 for 22)

Mahanama (20/1 o’night) 167 (Lahiru Weerakoon 78, Hashan Perera 22: Malshan Mendis 4 for 34, Nipun Peiris 3 for 37, Buddika de Alwis 3 for 50)

Thivanka cracks 102
A quick fire knock of 102 in only 78 balls with 14 boundaries and five sixes by Isipathana skipper Thivanka Ranasinghe was the highlight of the Under 19 inter-school against President’s Rajagiriya which began at Rajagiriya yesterday.

Thivanka’s knock along with Dhanushka Sandaruwan’s 51 saw Isipathana end the day making a massive 303 for 7 in reply to President’s 131. The match will be continued at 10.00 a.m. today. President’s Rajagiriya 131 (Gayantha Nishan 54, Asindu Kodituwakku 22: Anushka Samaratunge 4 for 59, Dinusha Fernando 3 for 32, Samitha Sulochana 2 for 27)

Isipathana 303 for 7 (Thivanka Ranasinghe 102, Dhanushka Sandaruwan 51, Irfan Rahim 28, Nilusha Sasanka 23, Dimuth Warapitiya 19, Harith Kalindu 48 n.o., Samitha Sulochana 21 n.o.: Viyanga Madusanka 3 for 71, Achala Dias 2 for 41)

Zahira 211, Moratu MV 194/7
Moratu MV were 194 for 7 in reply to Zahira’s 211 at the end of the first days play in their Under 19 encounter played at Maradana.
Zahira 211 (Shabir Ahamed 63, Mohamed Shadeer 38, Mohamed Shihan 24: Chathura Withana 5 for 41, Janitha Nimesh 2 for 18, Sanka Ramesh 2 for 45)

Moratu MV 194 for 7 (Janitha Nimesh 43, Avishka Peiris 35, Sujeewa Liyanage 33, Ishan Thilaksha 25, Janidu Devinda 20: Ishan Ibunu 3 for 46, Imras Rafi 2 for 36)