Wesley's Katipearachchi performs season's first hat-trick

Kandy Sports corr.

Kegalu Vidyalaya stole the honours in their Elephant Lemonade trophy schools tournament match against the more fancied Wesley College which ended in a 'No Decision' at Campbell Park, this week.

Batting first Kegalu Vidyalaya scored 206 all out with Gayan Jayasundara stroking a fine 76 which was studded with 14 fours and 1 six and he put on 90 for the sixth wicket with Mohamed Saffras (25) to lift the total from 87 for 5 wickets at one stage.

A. Katipearachchi who opened the bowling for the Wesleytes performed the season's first hat-trick when he dismissed Kegalu Vidyalaya's opener K. A. D. Premaratne (caught), skipper Amila Jayasinghe (caught) and prolific run getter M. A. A. M. Marasinghe who was bowled with the total at 11. But later Katipearachchi proved to be expensive and finished with figures of 5 for 84.

When Wesley batted they were off to a good start with the scoreboard reading 60 for 1 at one stage but wickets began to tumble thereafter and were struggling at 78 for 4 with no substantial contribution coming from their batsman.

Wickets started falling at regular intervals and they were reeling at 157 for 9 when play ended. Spinner Lahiru Pathirana bowled well to capture 5 for 31. Rain which interfered with play in some way helped Wesley College to escape with a 'No Decision.'

Kegalu Vidyalaya 206 (P. T. M. Karunaratne 27, R. S. Tennakoon 34, P. T. C. Jayasundara 76, M. Shaffraz 25, A. Katipearachchi 5 for 84, A. Seneviratne 2 for 16)

Wesley College 157 for 9 wickets at stumps (S. Rupasinghe 27, A. Katepearachchi 32, S. Sirirathna 39, L. Fernando 20, S. P. L. O. Pathirana 5 for 31, R. S. Tennakoon 3 for 61, K. C. Liyanage 1 for 10)