Maneesha and Devin skittle out Wesley for 48 runs

Chris DHAMBARAGE

A total of 27 wickets tumbled on a dramatic opening days play as Royal nearly completed a sensational outright victory in under three sessions in their 117th annual inter-school under 19 cricket tournament match against Wesley College which began at Campbell Park yesterday.

Wesley College trailing by 174 runs on the first innings collapsed to 30 for 7 and would have been all out if not for bad light had halted play early. Left arm spinner Maneesha Thantrigoda added three more wickets to his matchbag following a magnificent six wicket haul in the first innings.

Thantrigoda (6 for 18) and 14 year old Devin Pathmanathan (4 for 11) caused havoc with the Wesley batting as they shared all ten wickets between them following a destructive spell of bowling.

Earlier Royal were restricted to 222 runs in their first innings despite a splendid half century from Bhanuka Rajapaksa. Spinner Sooriyakumar did most of the damage with a four wicket haul.

Royal: 222 (B. Rajapaksa 68, C. Bogoda 40, K. Vithanage 32, R. Rambukwella 21, D. Wijesinghe 2 for 57, R. Sooriyakumar 4 for 48)

Wesley: 48 (M. Thantrigoda 6 for 18, D. Pathmanathan 4 for 11) and 30 for 7 (M. Thantrigoda 3 for 11, R. Rambukwella 3 for 3)

Sparkling 127 by Niluchana

Opener Niluchana Perera hammered a splendid 127 with six sixes and 14 boundaries as St. Peter’s College piled up 294 runs in their first innings on the opening day of their inter-school under 19 cricket tournament match against De Mazenod College which began at Kandana yesterday.

St. Peter’s: 294 (N. Perera 127, A. Berenger 64, A. Fernando 50, G. Hemantha 30 n.o, N. Madushanka 2 for 49, L. Rangika 2 for 80, W. Jayasuriya 3 for 20)

De Mazenod: 55 for 5 (L. Jayaratne 3 for 24)

Buddhika (61) and Shehan (71) prop up Cambrians

Prince of Wales’ College, Moratuwa scored 247 runs in their inter-school under 19 tournament cricket match against Mahanama College, Colombo played at Moratuwa. When play was stopped due to bad light at 4.30 p.m., visitors were 20 for 1.

The Cambrians score was propped up by two half centuries from Buddhika de Alwis (61) and Shehan Jayasuriya 71. The most successful bowler for Mahanama was Indunil Kumara who took 4 for 72.

Chief scores:

Prince of Wales 247 (Buddhika de Alwis 61, Shehan Jayasuriya 71, Malshan Mendis 26 n.o., Randika Welikandage 3 for 53, Indunil Kumara 4 for 72, Chatura Wanniarachchi 2 for 37).

Mahanama 20 for 1.

Rajans hit back

Right arm leg spinner Sachitra Perera took 6 for 47 for Ananda College to restrict Dharmaraja College to 142 all out on the first day of their P. W. Perera Trophy cricket match which began at Lake View grounds Kandy yesterday.

But the Anandians could not consolidate on this as the Rajans have hit back to put the brakes on Ananda’s batting by having them struggling at 63 for 5 at close with only Minura Janadhi putting up a lone effort so far in making 28 not out.

Dharmaraja College 142 all out in 60 overs (Lahiru Herath 20, Ramesh Yapa Bandara 50, Tharaka Silva 15, Hemal Munaweera 18 n.o., Matheesha Perera 3 for 40, Sachithra Perera 6 for 47).

Ananda College 63 for 5 in 28 overs (Minura Janadhi 28 n.o., Hemal Munaweera 2 for 12, Tharaka Silva 2 for 23).

Sebastianites set for the kill

St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa were ‘over the moon’ in their inter- school cricket match against St. Sylvester’s College and look set for an early victory today at Police Grounds Kandy yesterday. The match will be continue today at 9.30 a.m.

Put into bat by their opponent, the Sylvestrian were in dire straits almost from the start losing their first wicket just one run on the board and this position detiorated to 26 for 5 later. There were no signs of any recovery and they folded up for 87 in just 36.4 over.

St. Sylvesters College 88 all out in 36.4 over (Ruwantha Ekanayake 28, Extras 27, Amila Aponso 2 for 20, Wishwa Fernando 3 for 5, Anuk de Alwis 2 for 8, Anoj Gayashan 2 for 2).

St. Sebastian’s College 280 for 8 wickets in 58 overs (Ramesh Fernando 57, Deshan Dias 51, Anuk de Alwis 26, Charith Fernando 53, Ranith de Mel 53 not out, Faiz Ahamed 3 for 60, Waruna Wijesinghe 2 for 33, Dananjaya Athauda 2 for 86).