BY DINESH Weerawansa

ONLY a miraculous feat by opener Sukitha Senaratne and his lower order batsmen could save Royal College from certain defeat as S. Thomas' College tightened their grip on the second day of their 126th Battle of the Blues three-day encounter continued at Singhalese Sports Club grounds yesterday.

Trailing by a massive margin of 247 runs on the first innings following a wonderful century by one drop Thomian bat Ashan Peiris, Royal continued their pathetic batting display in the second essay to score 199 for 6 at close on day two.

The Reid Avenue boys still require 49 runs more to avert an innings defeat with only four second innings wickets in hand.

Royal batsmen, after being bowled out for their lowest first innings total (94) in 44 years, looked no better in the second essay though they had a perfect batting strip.

After an unfortunate leg before decision, which went against opener Ravinath Gunasekera (13), their top scorer in the first innings, Royal lost wickets at regular intervals to struggle at 62 for 5.

First change quick bowler Nigel Adems inflicted the severest blow on the Royal batting line-up in the second innings when he removed star batsmen Gayan de Silva and skipper Dimitri Siriwardena on either side of tea break.

Royal progressed to 45 for 2 before misfortune struck them once again when De Silva was brilliantly caught by Kularatne when he tried to pull a delivery from Adams in the last over before tea.

With Adams removing Siriwardena (5) and Akitha Bandara, who had a bitter taste on debut with a pair in successive balls with the total on 45, things looked gloomy for the Royalists.

Thanks to Thomian skipper Vidyesh Balasubramaniam, who was not tactical enough to apply extra pressure with a close in fielder, new batsman Malinga Maligaspe was able to prevent Adams going in for a hat-trick as the next ball ballooned close to the batsman.

But opener Sukitha Senaratne had a lone battle to complete a fighting half century while the wickets were tumbling at the other end.

The only bright spot in the Royal second innings was an unfinished seventh wicket partnership of 102 runs between Senaratne (92 n.o with 11 fours) and Dulanjaya Wijeratne (39 n.o with five boundaries), who gave some respectability to Royal's fight back. If not for their brave effort, the Thomians would have well been home with a day to spare and a historic win.

Earlier, S. Thomas' resumed at their overnight total of 152 for 2, added a further 188 runs for the loss of three more wickets before the declaration came 80 minutes before tea.

It was that sparkling century by Ashan Peiris that laid the foundation for a commanding Thomian first innings total of 340 for 5 declared, the identical total and number of wickets they had in 1997 to beat Royal by eight wickets under Nilanka Peiris.

Peiris, who was unbeaten on 64 overnight, added a further 61 runs to register the 23rd century by a Thomian batsman in the series. It was also the fourth highest individual innings by a Thomian behind Duleep Mendis (184 in 1972), R.J. Reed (158 n.o. in 1956) and N. Seible (151 n.o in 1936). Peiris, on his way to the third century of the season, hit one six and 15 boundaries to frustrate the Royal bowlers.

Royal skipper Dimitri Siriwardena tried as many as seven bowlers, as Peiris and former captain Kaushal Silva (47) shared a valuable 124-run third wicket stand.

The only consolation Royal had a painful day was in the morning session where they had two Thomian wickets within the space of seven runs as vice captain Sanjeev Mendis was trapped leg before by promising young Royal spinner Haroon Mowjood for five.

But the helpless Royalists were not given any chance to make a come back as No. 6 bat Nisham Mazahir added salt to their wounds with a quick fire half century. He joined the Thomian run feast with a blistering knock of 57, which came off 64 balls with seven boundaries and one over the ropes.

ROYAL COLLEGE - 1st Innings 94 
(Ravinath Gunasekere 24, Malinga Maligaspe 21, 
Ashan Peiris 3 for 16,  Sanjeev Mendis 3 for 20).
S. THOMAS’ COLLEGE - 1st Innings
(overnight 152 for 2)
Shashrika Pussegolla c. Bandara b. Siriwardena	 32
Navin Perera b. Godamunne			  4
Ashan Peiris hit wkt. b Punchihewa		125
Kaushal Silva c. Nandamulla b. S’ratne		 47
Sanjeev Mendis lbw b. Mowjood			  5
Nisham Mazahir run out				 57
Damushka Colombage not out			 18
Nigel Adams not out				 23
Extras:						 29
Total: (for 5 wickets decl., 89 overs)		340
Fall of wickets: 1- 12, 2-50, 3-174, 4-181, 5- 265.
Did not bat: Vidyesh Balasubramaniam, 
Sajith Kularatne, Daham Pilapitiya.
Bowling: Godamune 10-0-51-1, 
Punchihewa 24-7-77-1, Siriwardena 7-0-18-1, 
D. Wijeratne 18-3-63-0, Mowjood 25-5-89-1, 
Senaratne 5-1-17-1, Bandara 1-0-9-0.

ROYAL COLLEGE - 2nd Innings
Ravinath Gunasekera 1bw b. S. Kularatne		13
Sukitha Senaratne not out			92
Gayan de Silva c. Kularatne b. Adams		 9
Dimitri Siriwardena c. Silva b. Adams		 5
Akitha Bandara lbw b. Adams			 0
Malinga Maligaspe lbw b. Mendis			 2
Samith Nandamulla st. Silva b. B’subramaniam	13
Dulanjaya Wijeratne not out			39
Extras:						26
Total: (6 wkts at close, 54 overs)		199
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-39, 3-45, 4-45, 5-62, 6-97.
Bowling (todate): Kularatne 9-0-21-1, 
A. Peiris 5-0-16-0, Mendis 7-0-34-1, 
Adams 11-2-26-3, Bamasubramaniam 11-0-49-1,
 Pilapitiya 11-2-30-0.