At the end of the 131st edition of the Battle of the Blues there was one question that bugged many a witness’ mind. The question was “Are the Thomians making a habit of it.” In almost a repeat performance from last year it was the Thomian grit that stood between them and a Royal victory at the Sinhalese Sports Club Grounds, yesterday.
Royal skipper Bhanuka Rajapakse celebrates the wicket of Thomian batsman Sachin Peiris for a ‘duck’ in the dying stages of the game. |
Royal’s showman skipper Bhanuka Rajapakse grabbed two wickets in the dying stages as if to make sure the people stayed glued to their seats until the last ball was bowled.
Set 258 for victory S. Thomas’ was content to play out a draw.
And they were seemingly appearing to do so with ease before Rajapakse accounted for his counterpart Dinesh Walpita for 51 and then wicket keeper batsmen Sachin Peries for a duck.
But Ashen Fernando with 55 and Vice Captain Chamodh Pathirana ensured that nothing untoward occurred despite intense pressure by the Royalists. Walpita was lucky to score his 50 after he was dropped on 23 by Imran Khan off Devind Pathmanathan.
In what appears to be a new trend following the luncheon interval the batsmen were once again out before the fielding side. S. Thomas’ set a run saving field with only two men inside the circles.
Royal skipper Bhanuka Rajapakse came out to join Ramith Rambukwella who was firing on all cylinders. He became the fourth Royalist to pass 150 runs after Jagath Fernando, Sumithra Warnakulasuriya and Anoushka Polonnowita. Rambukwella eventually holed out for 165 runs at which Royal declared. Paceman Guarav Deva, spinners Maneesha Thanthrigoda and Devind Pathmanathan accounted for three Thomian wickets to fall before the tea interval.
Royal’s batting hero Ramith Rambukwella completes his sizzling century. – Pix by Sanka Widanagama. |
Earlier to make up for the lost overs on the first two days, the Umpires Ranmore Martinez and Ruchira Palliyaguru advanced the start of play by 24 minutes with a minimum of 111 overs being set to be bowled for the day.
Royal’s positive intent was obvious from the word go. The two batsmen Kithruwan Vithanage and Ramith Rambukwella had taken their guard from the umpires before the Thomian fielders got onto the field.
When play got underway surprisingly perhaps S. Thomas’ opted to open the attack with rookie Nilaksha Fernando partnering Thomian skipper Dinesh Walpita. Vithanage got stuck into the bowling from the out set. He cut, drove and pulled with ease. Unfortunately he got too confident and in right arm off spinner Umesh Fernando’s first over, Vithanage hoiked a delivery straight to long on where Nilaksha Fernando ran back to hold on to a very good catch. Vithanage made 45 off 43 balls with seven hits to the fence. Thus the opening stand of 81 runs was finally broken.
Fresher Imal Liyanage walked out to join Rambukwella who could count himself lucky to be at the crease. He edged a delivery from Walpita to the slips where Ashen Fernando grassed a relatively easy chance.
Ashen made up for his lapse later on. With the total on 95 the batsman called for a sharp single after hitting the ball to cover point. An alert Ashen hurled the ball into keeper Sachin Peiris’s gloves. Peiris promptly took off the bails with Liyanage well short of his crease. Liyanage made only two runs.
Waruna Dissanayake arrived at the crease and he together with Rambukwella took the attack to the Thomian bowlers. Rambukwella passed 1000 runs for the season with a single off Umesh Fernando.
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