Sylvestrians in command

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Corr

St. Sylvesters College were on top at the end of the first day's play in their 50th "Battle of the Babes" against Vidyartha College which began at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy yesterday.

The Sylvestrians winning the toss put Vidyartha to bat, a decision which paid dividends Vidyartha were soon in the dumps with the scoreboard reading 22 for 4.

A 39 run stand for the fifth wicket between skipper Nadun Basnayake (40) and Sachitha Wijekoon (22) took the score up to 61. Nadun Basnayake's innings lasted 95 balls and he had 6 fours. Medium pacer Yasiru Chanuka bowled well to capture 3 for 38.

The Sylvestrians in their turn at the wickets took things easy and paid for it dearly. But they could not maintain this tempo and were struggling at 53 for 3.

Skipper Mohamed Feshal and Nuwan Nilantha salvaged the innings through a useful stand of 66 for the fourth wicket in 51 minutes off 75 balls.

Vidyartha - Tirantha Dissanayake ct. Nilantha b. Y. Chanuka 7, Sameera Abeyratne ct. Nilantha b. Chanuka 10, Madhuka Weerasekera lbw. Athauda 00, Charith Daulagala run out 02, Sachithra Wijekoon b. Hettiarachchi 22, Nadun Basnayake ct. N. Silva b. Jayatissa 40, Dilina Kaushalya b. Y. Chanuka 00, Lahiru Herath lbw. Silva 09, Thilina Wijekoon not out 11, Kasun Wijekoon ct. Ambilimeegama 01, Ravindra Weerakoon ct. N. Silva b. Jayatissa 10, extras 17, total (all out) 129 off 47.1 overs 213 mts. Fall: 12, 12, 22, 22, 61, 65, 91, 113, 114, 129, Bowling: Yashiru Chanuka 14-5-38-3, Dhananjaya Athauda 6-3-15-1, Mohamed Feshal 3-0-8-0, Roshan Jayatissa 14.1-4-27-2, Chanaka Colombage 2-1-3-0, Suneth Hettiarachchi 2-2-0-1, Chanaka Silva 6-1-22-2.

St. Sylvester's - Kasun Alwis lbw. Herath 19, Saman Ambilimeegama lbw. Kaushalya 06, Nuwan Nilantha not out 34, Roshan Jayatissa ct. & b. R. Weerakoon 08, Mohamed Feshal run out (K. Wijekoon) 41, Chanaka Silva not out 10, Extras 18, Total (for 4 wkts) 137 off 34.5 overs 157 mts. Fall: 24, 50, 56, 122. Bowling: Kasun Wijekoon 4.5-0-19-0, Dilina Kaushalya 7-1-28-1, Lahiru Herath 8-1-28-1, Nadun Basnayake 10-0-49-0, Ravindra Weerakoon 6-1-16-1.