Abeysinghe and Warnakulage shatter 42-year-old record
Head Coach Senaka Dissanayake
Vice captain Lakvin Abeysinghe and Tharindu Warnakulage dominated the second day of the 118th Battle of the Maroons with record-breaking performances, helping Dharmaraja College establish a commanding position against traditional rivals Kingswood College at Pallekele Stadium.
Abeysinghe and teammate Warnakulage both scored identical unbeaten knocks of 203, powering their team from an overnight score of 253-2 to a formidable 454-2 declared. Abeysinghe’s innings came off 292 balls and featured 20 boundaries and a six, while Warnakulage reached his double century from 286 balls, hitting 17 boundaries and four sixes.
The pair’s remarkable batting display resulted in an unbroken 410-run partnership for the third wicket, establishing a new record in the series for any wicket. Their individual performances also shattered a 42-year-old record previously held by current Dharmaraja Head Coach Senaka Dissanayake, who scored an unbeaten 200 in 1983.
In response, Kingswood struggled early in their innings, losing their top four batsmen, including captain Kavija Gamage, with just 50 runs on the board. However, Yosath Abeykoon and Nikeshala steadied the innings with an unbroken 55-run partnership, helping Kingswood reach 105-4 by the close of play. The match continues today with Kingswood facing an uphill battle to match Dharmaraja’s imposing total.
| SCORECARD | |
| Dharmaraja 1st innings (253/2 overnight) Pulindu Perera c Kodituwakku b Abeykoon……………… 03 Kashyapa Dissanayake c Gamage b Weerasinghe…………. 19 Tharindu Warnakulage not out……………………………….. 203 Lakvin Abeysinghe not out…………………………………….. 203 Extras (b12, lb10, nb2, w2)………………………………………….. 26 Total (2 wickets decl; 104.3 overs)………………………………. 454 Did not bat: Nisala Abeyrathne, Sumeda Prasad, Dakshika Manukalpa, Kavindu Gunarathna, Isuru Pannala, Onija Sesath, Mathisha Rupasingha Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Perera, 3.3ov), 2-44 (Dissanayaka, 14.5 ov) Bowling: Kavija Gamage 40-4-142-0, Yosath Abeykoon 16-2-65-1, Chanul Kodituwakku 11-0-62-0, Heshan Weerasinghe 6-0-35-1, Upadi Jayawardena 7-0-24-0, Kenula Philianga 15.3-1-63-0, Dominsara Peiris 9-0-41-0 Kingswood 1st innings Chanul Kodituwakku c Gunaratne b Abeyratne 18 Aadil Sherif b Abeyratne 06 Manula Wijethunga c Sesath b Abeyratne 05 Kavija Gamage c Pannala b Prasad 04 Yosath Abeykoon not out 20 Nikeshala Nanayakkara not out 34 Extras (b8, lb6, nb3, w1) 18 Total (4 wickets: 55 overs) 105 Did not bat: Dominsara Peiris, Kenula Pihilianga, Upadi Jayawardane, Gauranga Bandara, Heshan Weerasinghe Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Kodithuwakku, 10.4ov), 2-41 (Sheriff, 12.2 ov), 3-45 (Gamage, 20.1ov), 4-50 (Wijethunga, 28.4ov) Bowling: Nisala Abeyratne 14.2-9-11-3, Sumeda Prasad 13.4-4-43-1, Dhakshika Maukalpa 16-9-16-0, Pulindu Perera 3-3-0-0, Lakvin Abeysinghe 5-4-10-0, Onija Sesath 3-0-11-0 |