Royal hit back strongly

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Royal College after been bowled out for 172 hit back strongly to reduce St. Joseph’s College to 133 for 9 in their first innings on the opening day of their 112th annual inter school cricket tournament match which began at Darley Road yesterday.

Royal batting first were in real trouble at 37 for 5 at one stage before Kithruwan Withanage rescued them with a fighting half century which included one six and seven boundaries.

St. Joseph’s College too collapsed to 60 for 5 in reply following some penetrative bowling from Haroon Mawjood and Yasith Abeykoon. However Shameera Weerasinghe played a true captain’s innings and put on 58 valuable runs for the sixth wicket along with all rounder Rosco Tatil.

Royal have not beaten St. Joseph’s College for the last 16 years having tasted success way back in 1993 under the captaincy of Gamini Perera.

Royal: 172 (S. Hettiarachchi 23, K. Withanage 51, Y. Abeykoon 35, T. Rajasuriya 4 for 56, S. Weerasinghe 2 for 28).

St. Joseph’s: 133 for 9 (S. Weerasinghe 50, R. Tatil 35 n.o, H. Mawjood 3 for 35, Y. Abeykoon 2 for 18, L. Randevala 2 for 19).

Even exchanges at Ananda Mawatha

Exchanges were even after the opening day’s play in the annual inter school cricket encounter between Ananda College and S. Thomas’ College which commenced at Ananda Mawatha yesterday.

The Anandians chasing their sixth successive outright victory this season were struggling at 87 for 6 in reply to S. Thomas’ first innings total of 126 runs.

S. Thomas’: 126 (S. Liyanarachchi 22, K. Perera 22, A. Fernando 31, L. Peiris 21, M. Perera 5 for 45, R. Herath 3 for 16).

Ananda: 87 for 6 (D. Chandimal 31, P. Seneviratne 29, L. Peiris 2 for 3).

Peterites pile up 308

Middle order batsman Akshu Fernando hit a top score of 82 not out to help St. Peter’s College pile up a formidable 308 n their first innings on the opening day of their inter school cricket tournament match which got underway at Bambalapitiya yesterday.

However the Cambrians made a strong reply and were well placed at 160 for 3 at stumps.

St. Peter’s: 308 (D. Perera 58, A. Perera 48, A. Emmanuel 28, A. Fernando 82 n.o, D. Nadiya 42, M. Fernando 2 for 54, V. de Mel 4 for 54, D. Chandima 2 for 32).

Prince of Wales: 160 for 3 (I. Thilina 22, I. de Mel 41 n.o, S. Dhammalage 20, C. Peiris 2 for 42).

Ibbagamuwa force a draw

Ibbagamuwa MMV forced a draw to their inter school cricket tournament match against Mahanama MV concluded at Havelock Park yesterday.

Ibbagamuwa MMV: 151 (A. Liyanage 27, N. Balasuriya 63, S. Welikannage 3 for 43, C. Perera 3 for 44, S. Nissanka 2 for 21) and 78 for 8 (N. Balasuriya 36, D. Gunatilleke 3 for 27, C. Perera 3 for 8).

Mahanama MV: 227 (D. Supun 33, S. Ruberu 34, U. Kaluarachchi 64, S. Dilshan 44, K. Weeraskera 3 for 67, M. Karunaratne 2 for 57, M. Gunatilleke 2 for 32).

Sebastianites pile up 270

Dilwin MENDIS, Moratuw Sports Corr

St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa winning the toss and electing to bat scored 270 runs in their inter-school under 19 cricket tournament match against Thurstan College, Colombo, played at Moratuwa.

Thurstanites at the end of day one made a spirited reply with 114 for no loss with Indika Massalage (68) and S. Kamaleen (39) remaining unbeaten. Sebastian Anura de Alwis was unlucky to miss a well deserved century by one run and it was chanceless. R. Wijeratne was the pick of the bowlers for visitors with 5 for 69.

Chief scores:

St. Sebastian’s 270 (Anuk de Alwis 99, Oshadi Fernando 41, Deshan Dias 34, Santha de Mel 23, R. Wijeratne 5 for 69, C. Gamage 2 for 48).

Thurstan 114 for no loss (I. Massalage 68 not out, S. Kamaleen 39 not out).