Trinity win on run rate

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Corr.

Trinity College scored a 21 run win over St. Anthony’s College in their 29th limited over clash for the Sir Richard Aluwihare Trophy played at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy yesterday.

Rain which started falling shortly after 4.00 p.m. put an early end to an interesting match. At the time play was stopped Trinity had made 165 runs and the Anthonians in reply had made 119 off 36 overs. Since there was no way of resuming play, using the parabola formula, the Anthonians had to make 141 runs to victory and Trinity were declared winners by 21 runs.

Trinity won the toss and elected to bat first on a sunny morning. But they were soon in trouble losing four of their front liners for 37. But the fifth wicket pair of big match heroes Shameera Wijesooriya (49) and Dilan Gangoda (31) put on 66 valuable runs before being separated. This pair in fact salvaged the Trinity innings in the big match with a partnership of 80 which resurrected the innings.

Spinner Kasun Ekanayake took 2 for 26 and was supported by 14 year old medium pacer Tharaka Jayasinghe who look 2 for 30.

But when the Anthonians batted they lost three early wickets that of their top order batsmen and prolific run getters Hiran Wickremasekera (10), Dulash Kumarasinghe (0) and Jerome Siegertsz with only 28 runs on the board.

This put the brakes on their scoring which slowed down and they lost their fourth wicket at 47. The destroyer being off spinner Suresh Wickrema who opened the attack and took all four wickets to fall upto that time.

The Anthonians never recovered from it.

Adil Reyal (33) and Malindu Perera (32 n.o) repaired the damage with a partnership of 43 for the fifth wicket but the Anthonians hopes diminished when leg spinner Akila Jayasundera trapped Reyal leg before. Trinity’s cricket captain of 1952 Gamini Tennakoon was the chief guest and he distributed the awards.

Best batsman - Shameera Wijesooriya (TCK), Best Bowler - Suresh Wickrema, Best Fielder - Adil Reyal (TCK), Man of the Match - Suresh Wickrema (TCK).

Trinity 165 off 45.3 overs: (Shameera Wijesooriya 49, Dilan Gangoda 31, Mohamed Sajid 17, Tharanga Bandara 1-19 Tharaka Jayasinghe 2-30 Kasun Ekanayake 2-26 Aruna Bandara 2-27.)

St. Anthony’s 199 off 36 overs: Viraj Senarath 14, Malindu Perera 32 n.o, Adil Reyal 33, Kasun Ekanayake not out 09.

Suresh Wickrema 4-21, Akila Jayasundera 5-0-15-1,