Bowlers take major honours

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Bowlers dominated the opening days play as Wayamba Province after been bundled out for 223 runs came back strongly to reduce Basnahira North Province to 93 for 4 in their first innings in the SLT Inter Provincial four day cricket tournament final which commenced at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Wayamba Province batting first after winning the toss were troubled by the two right arm seamers Daminda Dharshanapriya and Roshan Fernando with the pair sharing seven wickets between them.

Dharshanapirya who represented Ragama Cricket Club in the SLC Premier League Tier A tournament was quite impressive as he finished with excellent figures of five wickets for 55 from 14 overs. His partner Fernando provided good support and snapped up two wickets.

Wayamba Province were in danger of been dismissed for under two hundred runs after they had slumped to 139 for 6 at one stage. However they were rescued to a certain extent by dynamic all rounder Kaushalya Lokuarachchi who hit a fighting half century while batting at number seven.

Lokuarachchi struck eight boundaries in his top score of 70 and also put on 65 valuable runs for the seventh wicket along with Thisara Perera (33). This was after number three batsman Damitha Hunukumbura had made a fluent 46 with six boundaries before he was sixth out with the total at 139.

However Basnahira North failed to capitalise on the splendid work done by their bowlers as they collapsed to 93 for 4 in reply.

Opener Ian Daniel made 31 with five boundaries but the rest of the batting crumbled against the spin of Jehan Mubarak and Rangana Herath.