41st Battle of the Rocks ends in a stalemate
Maliyadeva skipper Chandupa Abeysinghe celebrates his century
Maliyadeva College captain Chandupa Abeysinghe’s patient century and bowler Thaveesha Balasooriya’s five-wicket haul were the defining performances in the drawn 41st Battle of the Rocks two-day big match encounter against St. Anne’s College, which concluded at the Welagedara Stadium yesterday.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Maliyadeva posted a commanding first-innings total of 309 all out in 102.4 overs. Skipper Abeysinghe led from the front with a match-defining knock of 106 off 251 balls, an innings of remarkable patience and discipline, laced with just three boundaries. His anchoring role provided the platform for an aggressive middle-order display.
Vinuk Galappaththi injected momentum into the innings with a blistering 65 off 85 balls, featuring four sixes and five fours, while Sonal Ashvin contributed a crucial 44, striking six boundaries. The late-order resistance ensured Maliyadeva capitalised on their strong foundation. St. Anne’s bowlers toiled hard, with Shehon Kumara emerging as the most successful, claiming 3 for 94, while Yashmith Jayasundara (2/43), Geethika de Silva (2/49), and Bazeer Shakeel (2/63) shared the remaining spoils.
In response, St. Anne’s crumbled under intense bowling pressure, managing only 119 runs in 55.5 overs. Balasooriya was the architect of their downfall, producing a historic spell of 5 for 52 in 16.5 overs. The left-arm spinner extracted significant turn and bounce, dismantling the St. Anne’s batting lineup. The rest of Maliyadeva’s bowling unit complemented his efforts, with Olitha Neranjan, Dimantha Arusha and Dimath Abeysinghe chipping in with a wicket each.
With a first-innings lead of 190 runs, Maliyadeva enforced their dominance but struggled in their second innings, reaching 50 for 4 at stumps. Rajith Navodya was the only batter to show endurance with an unbeaten 27, while Yashmith Jayasundara struck early blows for St. Anne’s, taking 2 for 1. Despite a commanding first-innings performance, Maliyadeva could not push for an outright result, settling for a draw but walking away with the major honours in this traditional fixture.
| Brief Scores | |
|