Ananda-Nalanda 78th battle a tame draw

Chris DHAMBARAGE

CRICKET: The traditional rivals Ananda College and Nalanda College shared honours as they played out a draw in their 78th annual inter school Big Match concluded at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds in Maitland Place yesterday.

Chasing a tough victory target of 134 runs from ten overs the Nalandians reached 67 for 5 in their second innings. This was after the Anandians had made a bold declaration of 122 for 4 in their second innings after they had enjoyed a close eleven run lead on the first innings.

Nalanda College accepted the challenge and were well on course towards reaching their target after their openers Munaweera and Priyanjana had plundered thirty runs from the first two overs.

However they just could not maintain the same momentum during the next few overs and completely lost their way.

Earlier Nalanda performed extremely well to get closer towards their opponents first innings total following two superb half centuries from Primosh Perera and Ashan Priyanjana.

The pair continued with their good work and added a splendid 142 runs for the third wicket that set the pace for their impressive first innings total. Primosh Perera went on to hit a top score of 87 from 196 deliveries with the help of two sixes and nine boundaries.

The Sri Lanka youth cap Ashan Priyanjana was more aggressive as he stroked an elegant 82 from 126 deliveries inclusive of two sixes and nine boundaries.

But the real acceleration of the Nalanda innings came from the bat of Dilshan Munaweera who tore the Ananda attack into pieces while hoisting a total of six sixes and one boundary from just 29 deliveries.

He was more severe on the Ananda captain Malith Gunatilleke who however went on to take the bowling honours with a three wicket haul.

ANANDA - 1ST INNINGS

for 6 wickets declared 287

NALANDA - 1ST INNINGS

Silshan Lasantha lbw b Wickremasinghe 17

Primosh Perera c Wijesuriya b Gunatilleke 87

M.Warnapura c U. Pieris b. Jayasundera 17

Ashan Priyanjana c Wijesuriya b Gunatilleke 82

M.Weerasinghe c Wijesuruya b Gunatilleke 16

Dilshan Munaweera c Matheesha b Peiris 46

Uthpala Baghya not out 1

EXTRAS 10

TOTAL (for 6 wickets decl) 276

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-34, 2-65, 3-207, 4-227, 5-238, 6-276

BOWLING: Ishan Wickremasinghe 7-0-21-1, Madhumal Jayaratne 7-0-23-0, Ranganath Wijetunga 9-3-19-0, Malith Gunatileka 22-4-94-3, Udara Pieris 17.4-3-67-1, Udara Jayasundera 4-0-19-1, Rasuwan 4-0-18-0, Wijesuriya 5-0-11-0

ANANDA 2ND INNINGS

Chandimal Lokughe lbw b Karunanayake 36

Udara Jayasundera c Munaweera b Atapattu 25

Malith Gunatilleke c Indrasinghe b Atapattu 24

Wishwa Wijesuriya not out 26

Dilshan Silva c Warnapura b Atapattu 5

EXTRAS 6

TOTAL (for 4 wickets decl) 122

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-57, 2-75, 3-115, 4-122

BOWLING: Aponso 2-0-16-0, Priyanjana 3-0-25-0, Atapattu 14.5-4-36-3, Weerasinghe 3-0-10-0, Karunanayake 8-0-27-1, Munaweera 3-2-3-0

NALANDA 2ND INNINGS

Dilshan Munaweera c Wickremasinghe b Peiris 9

Ashan Priyanjana st Lokuge b Peiris 22

Milinda Weerasinghe c Lokuge b Peiris 0

N.Karunaratne c Jayasundera b Gunatilleke 14

Primosh Perera c Lokuge b Gunatilleke 1

Madawa Warnapura not out 13

Uthpala Baghya not out 4

EXTRAS 4

TOTAL (for 5 wickets) 67

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-30, 2-30, 3-41, 4-49, 5-52

BOWLING: Peiris 5-0-29-3, Wijetunga 1-0-16-0, Gunatilleke 4-1-19-2.