Big Match: Sooyabandara and Kariyawasam help Royal fight back at stumps on Day 2

Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Malith Kariyawasam helped Royal College make a gallant fight back as they ended the second day trailing S. Thomas’ College by 70 wickets with three wickets in hand in the 137th Battle of the Blues encounter at the SSC ground in Colombo today (11).

Royal were 280-7 at stumps in reply to S. Thomas’ total of 350-5 declared in the first innings.

Royal resumed their reply from 1-0 and went through a bad time before losing four batsmen when the total was on 96, but one-down-man Sooriyabandara played a marathon innings before getting together with Kariyawasam to make repairs. 

The pair added 139 runs for the sixth wicket before Kariyawasam was dismissed by Thomian skipper Sachitha Jayathilake for 78. 

He faced 140 deliveries and hit 12 boundaries. 

Royal’s hero of the day was Sooriyabandara, who remained unbeaten on 97 when stumps were drawn. 

He had faced 281 deliveries during his marathon knock which included 13 boundaries.  

Supporting him in the other end was Helitha Vithanage who remained unbeaten on 10.

Royal openers Naveen Widanapathirana (24) and Ronuka Jayawardene were able to put on 37 runs before Sooriyabandara joined in to frustrate the Thomian bowlers. 

Widanapathirana was the first to be dismissed while Jayawardene followed when Royal’s total had reached 65.

Royal lost their skipper Geeshath Panditharatne for 26 at 96 and lost Lasith Embuldeniya without adding any runs to the total. 

Tiran Dhanapala (9) couldn’t make a big contribution but added 26 runs for the fifth wicket with Sooriyabandara, who was resolute and patient all the way. 

Yohan Perera claimed three wickets while Hansaka Liyanaarachchi picked two scalps. 

Thomian skipper Jayathilake and Danush Peiris grabbed a wicket each. 

On the opening day S. Thomas’ declared their first innings after reaching 350-5. 

Thomian skipper Sachitha Jayathilake remained unbeaten on 50 while openers Rashmika Opatha and Yohan Mendis made a good start as they almost went to create a record for the first wicket, before being separated at 197.

Opatha hit 124 after facing 131 deliveries and hitting 16 fours and four sixes. 

Mendis played rather cautiously, facing 133 deliveries for his 64 while also hitting seven boundaries. 

Royal won the toss elected to field. 

Both Royal and S. Thomas’ have won 34 matches each during the past and this encounter will be anticipated to be a keen battle.

The match ends on Saturday (12).

S. Thomas’ 350 for 5 wickets (75) declared (Yohan Mendis 64, Rashmika Opatha 124, Ravindu Kodituwakku 35, Yohan Perera 38, Sachitha Jayathilake 50n.o, Ravindu Tillakaratne 11n.o, Lasith Embuldeniya 1/42, Duvindu Hettiarachchi 1/55, Ganith Sandeepa 1/58, Himesh Ramanayake 1/98)

Did not bat: Romesh Nallaperuma, Senal de Silva, Danush Peiris, Hansaka Liyanaarachchi

Royal (1-0 Overnight) 280 for 7 wickets (105) stumps Day 2 (Naveen Widanapathirana 24, Ronuka Jayarawardene 25, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 97n.o, Geeshath Panditharatne 26, Malith Kariyawasam 78, Helitha Vithanage 10n.o, Yohan Perera 3/39, Hansaka Liyanaarachchi 2/42, Sachitha Jayathilake 1/21, Danush Peiris 1/53)

To bat: Himesh Ramanayake, Ganith Sandeepa, Duvindu Hettiarachchi