Royals top left arm spinner Maneesha Tantrigoda put in another fine bowling performance in their Under 19 inter-school cricket encounter against Wesley at Campbell Park yesterday.

Maneesha ended up with a match bag of 10 for 45. Pic by Ranjith Perera

Maneesha who raked in six wickets in the first innings followed it up with another four wicket haul as he spun Royal to a comfortable innings and 124 runs victory to steer Royal to their third outright win for the season.

There was no escape for the Wesleyites who put up a pathetic batting display in the first innings being able to chalk up a poor 48 in reply to Royal’s 222. The left arm spinner who in his earlier two matches bagged 13 wickets did the damage with impressive figures of 6 for 18 with support coming from Devin Pathmanathan who bagged 4 for 11.

Wesley forced to follow on was troubled again by Maneesha who along with Ramith Rambukwella shattered the home sides batting to have them struggling on 30 for 7. Wesley resuming their second innings on day two with defeat staring in their faces did not last long as Maneesha got into action again with Ramith and Devin to bundle them out for just 50 runs with play lasting just 30 minutes. Maneesha ended up with a match bag of 10 for 45.

Royal are defeating Wesley after a lapse of 15 years having recorded their last win in 1995 when the side was led by Nalliah Devarajan while Wesley’s last success was 41 years ago in 1969 under the leadership of Amresh Rajaratnam.

Royal 222 (Bhanuka Rajapakse 68, Chalaka Bogoda 40, Kithruwan Withanage 32, Ramith Rambukwella 21: Basith Muzammil 4 for 2, Raninda Sooriyakumara 4 for 48, Dulanjana Wijesinghe 2 for 67)
Wesley 48 (Maneesha Tantrigoda 6 for 18, Devin Pathmanathan 4 for 11) and (30/7 o’night) 50 (Maneesha Tantrigoda 4 for 27, Ramith Rambukwella 3 for 10, Devin Pathmanathan 2 for 2)
Pix by Ranjith Perera

St Sebastian’s rout St. Sylvester’s by innings
St Sebastian’s routed St Sylvester’s by an innings and 40 runs in their Under 19 inter-school cricket match concluded at the Police ground in Kandy yesterday. The match was of significance to Sebs batsman Deshan Dias who with his knock of 51 became the third schoolboy to reach the 1000 runs mark this season.

St Sebastian’s resuming from their overnight score of 281 for 8 went on to make 305 with Sanitha de Mel making a top score of 71 and half tons coming from Ramesh Fernando and Deshan Dias. St Sylvester’s who were shot out for 88 in the first inning batting the second time with a deficit of 217 runs were able to muster only 177.

Deshan like the previous two batsmen Thurstan’s Shihan Kamileen and Nalanda’s Nipun Karunanayake who both celebrated with their side recording outright wins. Deshan too celebrated with his sides innings victory which was their sixth outright win for the season.

Deshan came into the game needing 25 runs to achieve the feat and he succeeded. He reached the 1000 run mark in his 14th match from 20 innings which includes one not out. Deshan’s 1000 runs comprised two tons against Kalutara MV and St Benedict’s along ten half tons.

St Sylvester’s 88 (Ruwantha Ekanayake 28: Wishwa Fernando 3 for 5, Anoj Gayashan 2 for 2, Anuk de Alwis 2 for 8, Amila Aponso 2 for 20) and 177 (Waruna Wijesinghe 31, Nuwan Nilantha 22, Faiz Ahamed 22: Amila Aponso 6 for 74, Anoj Gayashan 2 for 12)St Sebastian’s (281/8 o’night) 305 (Sanitha de Mel 71, Ramesh Fernando 57, Deshan Dias 51, Charith Fernando 37, Anuk de Alwis 26: Faiz Ahamed 3 for 60, Dushan Malalaseba 2 for 20, Waruna Wijesinghe 2 for33, Dananjaya Athauda 2 for 100)St Peter’s in box seat

St Peter’s are in the box seat against De Mazenod Kandana when play stopped for lunch on day in their Under 19 encounter played at Kandana. The Peterites after making a formidable 294 on the back of a fine knock of 127 by Nilochana Perera had the home struggling.De Mazenod who ended the first days play on 64 for 5 resuming on day were bowled for a paltry 106. Petes opting to bat the second time were 114 for 3 at lunch resting on lead of 302 runs.

St Peter’s 294 (Nilochana Perera 127, Andri Berenger 64, Akshu Fernando 50, Dushan Hemantha 30 n.o.: Wadeesha Jayasuriya 3 for 20, N. Madusanka 2 for 49, Lakshan Rangika 2 for 80) and 114 for 3 (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)

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 played at Moratuwa.

The second days 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 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 37 for 1 (Isuru Thilina 26 n.o.)

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)

Thushara and Minura rescue Ananda
Thushara Samarakoon and Minura Janadhi rescued Ananda who were struggling on 63 for 5 with a 104 runs stand for the sixth wicket against Dharmaraja on day two in the match played at Lake View ground in Kandy.

The duo’s partnership helped Ananda make a good 217 in reply to Dharmarajah’s 142. Thushara cracked a 78 with ten boundaries while Minura whipped in with a 74 with eight boundaries.

Dharmaraja 142 (Ramesh Bandara 50, Lahiru Herath 27, Hemal Munaweera 18, Tharaka Silva 15: Sachitra Perera 6 for 48, Mateesha Rasuwan 3 for 44) and 14 for 2

Ananda (63/5 o’night) 217 (Thushara Samarakoon 78, Minura Janadhi 74, Kushan Gunatilleke 16 n.o.: Hemal Munaweera 4 for 35, Aravinda Withanaarachchi 3 for 59, Tharaka Silva 2 for 37)

President’s R’giriya 131, Isipathana 77/2
Isipathana were 77 for 2 in reply to President’s Rajagiriya’s score of 131 at lunch in their Under 19 inter-school which began at Rajagiriya yesterday.

President’s Rajagiriya 131 (Gayantha Nishan 54, Asindu Kodituwakku 22: Anushka Samaratunge 4 for59, Dinusha Fernando 3 for 32, Samitha Sulochana 2 for 27)
Isipathana 77 for 2 (Irfan Rahim 28, Nilusha Sasanka 23)