U-19 Cricket: Western Province Central emerge SLC Inter-Provincial title

Western Province Central emerged champions of the Under 19 Inter-Provincial Cricket Championship with a close 15-run win against Western Province North in the final played at the CCC ground on Saturday (23).
 
Western Province Central taking first lease of the wicket made a modest score of 225 and they succeeded to restrict the Western Province North batting for a score of 209. 

The foundation for the WP Central win was laid by Kamil Mishara who cracked a 98 ball knock of 72 inclusive of five boundaries and two sixes and Pasindu Sooriyabandara who made a 56 with four boundaries and a six. 

The pair shared a valuable 98 runs in 92 balls for the third wicket when the side was in a spot of bother. 

Later WP Central lost five wickets for the addition of 55 runs and from 170 for 5 they were bowled out for 225. 

WP North in their run chase had an inauspicious start losing their first wicket for no score in the first over. Skipper Ashan Fernando and Mohamed Samass who made a top score of 49 took them out of the woods adding 86 runs for the second wicket, 

The duo’s separation saw WP North losing three quick wickets as they slid from 88 for 2 to 110 for 5 in the 34th over. 

Despite the seventh wicket pair of Avishka Tharindu and Ravindu associating in a 53 runs partnership and the last pair Pasindu Ushetti and Chamika Gunasekera was left with the difficult task of making 33 runs in 31 balls but they were able to muster only 209 runs. 

Western Province Central 225 all out (48.4) (Kamil Mishara 72, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 56, Avishka Perera 30, Sithara Hapuhinna 15, Avishka Tharindu 3/39, Ravindu Fernando 2/36, Avishka Tharindu 2/47) 

Western Province North 209 for 9 wickets (50) (Mohamed Samaas 49, Ashan Fernando 34, Avishka Perera 32, Ravindu Fernando 28, Kevin Perera 17, Chamika Gunasekera 16 n.o., Sonal Dinusha 4/22, Dunith Wellalage 2/40)