Opener Hirun Liyanaarachchi delivered an epic display under pressure, smashing a match-winning 105 to steer Royal College to a commanding 4-wicket victory over traditional rivals S. Thomas’ College in the 48th Mustangs Trophy limited-over clash at the SSC yesterday. His knock, which included 13 boundaries and a six, propelled Royal to reclaim the coveted trophy, [...]

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Hirun heroics power Royal’s Mustang Trophy win

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Royal's Hirun Liyanaarachchi reaches his ton - Pix by Eshan Fernando

Opener Hirun Liyanaarachchi delivered an epic display under pressure, smashing a match-winning 105 to steer Royal College to a commanding 4-wicket victory over traditional rivals S. Thomas’ College in the 48th Mustangs Trophy limited-over clash at the SSC yesterday. His knock, which included 13 boundaries and a six, propelled Royal to reclaim the coveted trophy, marking their 24th win in the series, edging past S. Thomas’ tally of 23.

Chasing a modest 221, Royal found themselves in early trouble at 5 for 2. But Hirun, unfazed by the early wobble, joined forces with Vimath Dinsara to steady the ship. Their 50-run stand in 66 balls blunted the Thomian attack before Vimath fell after a well-compiled 67-run partnership.

Undeterred, Hirun built a 29-run stand with skipper Ramiru Perera before stitching a match-defining 60-run partnership with Anush Polonnowita. HIrun’s century came off 122 balls, a knock of sheer determination and class, before he perished at 196-6 in the 43rd over. That was the last bright moment for the Thomian bowlers, as Thevindu Wewalwala and Yasindu Dissanayake calmly knocked off the remaining runs, sealing the victory with an unbroken 27-run stand.

Earlier, put in to bat, S. Thomas’ made a cautious start with openers Avinash Fernando and Jaden Amaraweera adding 33 before being separated. The Thomians then built two crucial partnerships—Jaden and Sadev Soysa put on 58 for the second wicket, followed by a 59-run third-wicket stand between Jaden and Dineth Goonawardena.

Jaden anchored the innings with a gritty 70, peppered with seven boundaries. But after his dismissal as the fifth wicket, S. Thomas’ innings unraveled. They lost their last five wickets for a mere 56 runs, limping to 220. A lack of firepower in the final stretch cost them dearly. With Hirun leading from the front, Royal’s well-paced chase ensured they walked away with the Mustangs Trophy, reaffirming their dominance over their arch-rivals.

Royal won the Mustang Trophy for the 24th time

SCORECARD
S. Thomas’ College
Avinash Fernando c Perera b Polonnowita 17
Jaden Amaraweera c Geeganage b Malaviarachchi 70
Sadev Soysa lbw b Perera 32
Dineth Goonawardena run out 25
Mithila Charles c Dinsara b Malaviarachchi 00
Reshon Solomon c Malaviarachchi b Perera 27
Sachithra Gunasinghe st Geeganage b Perera 06
Kavindu Dias c Geeganage b Rahimdeen 17
Darien Diego lbw b Rahimdeen 07
Minon Warnasuriya run out 01
Abheeth Paranawidana not out 01
Extras (w13, nb1, lb3) 17
Total (all out; 49.1 overs) 220
Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Fernando, 8.5ov), 2-91 (Soysa, 22.2ov), 3-150 (Goonawardena, 33.2ov), 4-151 (Charles, 33.5ov), 5-164 (Amaraweera, 37.1ov), 6-186 (Gunasinghe, 40.3ov), 7-197 (Solomon, 42.5ov), 8-218 (Diego, 48.1ov), 9-219 (Dias, 48.4ov), 10-220 (Warnasuriya, 49.1ov)
Bowling: Anush Polonnowita 7-1-26-1, Sandul Abeywardana 9-1-35-0, Khalid Rahimdeen 6-0-24-2, Ranuka Malaviarachchi 9.1-0-41-2, Vimath Dinsara 5-0-26-0, Ramiru Perera 10-0-45-3, Thevindu Wewelwala 3-0-20-0

 

Royal College
Rehan Peiris c Amaraweera b Dias 00
Hirun Liyanaarchchi c Gunasinghe b Dias 105
Isula Geeganage b Dias 00
Vimath DInsara c Charles b Paranawidana 30
Ramiru Perera c Goonawardena b Diego 12
Anush Polonnowita c Amaraweera b Charles 23
Thevindu Wewelwala not out 24
Yasindu Dissanayake not out 18
Extras (w9, lb2) 11
Total (6 wickets; 46.4 overs) 223
Did not bat: Sandul Abeywardana, Ranuka Malaviarachchi, Khalid Rahimdeen
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Peiris, 1.3ov), 2-5 (Geeganage, 1.5ov), 3-72 (Dinsara, 17.3ov), 4-101 (Perera, 24.1ov), 5-161 (Polonnowita, 35.6), 6-196 (Liyanaarchchi, 42.4ov)
Bowling: Abheeth Paranawidana 10-1-27-1, Kavindu Dias 8.4-0-56-3, Minon Warnasuriya 4-0-18-0, Jaden Amaraweera 2-0-9-0, Darien Diego 10-0-46-01, Dineth Goonawardena 7-0-46-0, Mithila Charles 5-0-19-1

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