Wesley enter final with convincing win

CRICKET: A great batting display by Milroy Israel ( 78 not out). Ashel Kariyawasam (42), Migara Wickramasinghe (38) and Skipper Denuwan Dassnayake (28) helped Wesley College to another convincing victory against Trinity College by reaching 309 for 9 wickets Dec in their Astra Cup Cricket tournament semi-final match played at Ananda Grounds recently.

Wesley bowled out Trinity for 192 in just 62.4 overs with some good bowling by Tharindu Karunaratne (3/35), Basith Muzammil (3/35) and Ashel Kariyawasam (2/18).

Wesley 1st innings started disastrously and at one stage Wesley were (39/3), but Dinuke Jaysinghe (15) and Skipper Denuwan Dassnayake (28) had a healthy partnership of 55 runs which helped Wesley to reach 98 runs and after the Skipper was out Wesley were (98/6) but from there onwards Ashel Kariyawasam (42) and Basith Muzammil (13 off 83 deliveries) had a superb partnership of 62 runs to help Wesley to reach 162/6.

Thereafter a stunning batting display by Milroy Israel (78 not out) and Migara Wickramasinghe (38) with a partnership of 90 runs to help Wesley reach a record score of 309 for 9 wkts Dec and led Trinity by 117 runs on the 1st innings.

Trinity were under pressure when they came to bat for the 2nd innings & they were 1/0 in the very 1st over. From there onwards Wesley players kept them under control and finally Trinity was bowled out for 178 in 38.3 overs with Ashel Kariyawasam (3/35) Dinuke Jayasinghe (3/28) and Thisun Opatha (2/46) doing the damage.

Trinity 1st Innings 192 in 62.4 overs (A.C.V. Fernando 39, A.P.A. Perera 39, D.H.R. Jayathunga 23, H.M.R.P. 22, T.D. Karunarathe 03/35 M.B. Muzammil 03/35 and A.T. Kariyawasam (02/18) and 2nd Innings 178 in 38.3 overs (J. Premasinghe 40, A.C.V. Fernando 26. P.B.A. Perera 36, T.A. Opatha 02/46, A.T. Kariyawasam 03/35 D.H. Jayasinghe 03/28,

Wesley 1st Innings 309 for 9 Dec in 90 Overs (D.H. Jayasinghe 15, Denuwan Dassnayake 28, Ashel Kariyawasam 42, Migara Wickramasinghe 38, M.B. Muzammil 13, Milroy Israel 78 not out.

Result:- Wesley won on 1st innings by 117 runs and are through to the finals. Wesley thrash Royal

The unbeaten Wesley College. Under 13 cricketers broke a 28-year-old record by trouncing Royal College with a resounding outright victory at Reid Avenue in their Astra Trophy - Division one Quarter Final match played over the weekend. Wesley's last victory was in 1978.

The Royalists who won the toss and elected to bat were in deep trouble owing to some fantastic pace bowling by Ashel Kariyawasam who had a match bag of 7 wkts for 35 runs and excellent spin bowling by Basith Muzammil who also had a match bag of 7 wkts for 68 runs. Skipper Denuwan Dassanayake hit the winning runs with a boundary thus taking his side to the Semi-Finals.

Royal College - 1st Innings: 109 all out in 42.1 overs.(M.W. Rajarathne 41, L.P.S. De Silva 12, M.C.P. Salgado 15.Ashel Kariyawasam (5/19), Basith. Muzammil (3/22), T.D. Karunarathe (2/10). and 2nd Innings: 139 for 6 wkts declared in 36 overs. (L.P.S. De Silva 41, M.A. Shakir 33, C.P. Rajapaksha 22, M.B.M. Abeysekara 22. Basith Muzammil (4/46), AshelKariyawasam (2/16).

Wesley Cellege - 1st Innings: 177 for 6 wkts declared

D.H. Jayasinghe 34, T.M. Wickramasinghe 36, T.D. Karunaratne 25, M.M.M. Israel 14, Denuwan Dassanayake 12, Ashel Kariyawasam 10. M.W. Rajarathna (3/26), S.W. Unambuwa (2/32), L.P.S. De. Silva (2/45). and 2nd Innings : 73 for 4 wkts Denuwan Dassanayake 26 Not out D.H. Jayasinghe. 17, T.D. Karunaratne 10, S.W. Unambuwa (2/24).

Result: Wesley College won outright by six wickets.