Royal–Mahinda joint champions
Chris Dhambarage
Royal College and Mahinda College Galle were declared as joint
champions when their Munchee inter-school under 19 knock-out limited
overs cricket tournament final encounter ended in a no result at the CCC
ground in Maitland Crescent due to bad weather yesterday.
Royal College put into bat hit up a formidable 244 for 8 from their
reduced 45 overs following a brief interruption mid way in their
innings. Mahinda College were then given a revised victory target of 161
runs from 21 overs after a further interruption due to bad weather.
However they ended up at 47 for no loss from six overs when a heavy
downpour forced the players to return back to the pavilion with the
match ending in a no decision.
Even then Mahinda College were well on course towards their target
after the openers Denuwan Rajakaruna and Nisala Tharaka had provided
some fireworks during their brief stay at the crease.
In fact skipper Rajakaruna took the initiative and led the run chase
while hoisting two sixes and stroking three boundaries during his 19
ball innings while his partner Tharaka had already struck two
boundaries.
Earlier Royal College put up a fine batting performance to pile up a
competitive 244 for 8 from their 45 overs.
Skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa led the way with a top score of 74 from 61
deliveries which included two sixes and five boundaries. This was after
the openers Ramith Rambukwella and Kithruwan Vithanage had put on a
splendid 94 runs from 16 overs. Sri Lanka Under 19 vice captain
Vithanage went on to hit a run a ball 52 with the help of four sixes and
two boundaries.
Rajapaksa who was later named Best Batsman and Man of the Match
controlled the Royal innings with a brilliant batting performance and
also put on 52 runs for the fourth wicket along with Chalaka Bogoda.
Mahinda College vice captain and off spinner Kaushalya Gajasinghe was
selected as the Best Bowler for his economical spell of two wickets for
28 runs from nine overs.
However the rest of the Mahinda bowling failed to make an impact and
they really struggled as they used as many as eight bowlers to contain
the Royal batsmen.
Royal College innings
Ramith Rambukwella c Kariyawasam b Gajasinghe 31
Kithruwan Vithanage c Tharaka b Jayashanka 52
Bhanuka Rajapaksa b Buddika 74
Madusha Rajaratne run out 17
Chalaka Bogoda c Piripun b Kariyawasam 15
Waruna Dissanayake run out 3
Charutha Rajaratne st Piripun b Lakmal 23
Manisha Tantrigoda c Buddhika b Gajasinghe 1
Gaurav Deva not out 8
Dhanushka Ranasinghe not out 1
Extras 19 Total (for 8 wickets in 45 overs) 244
Fall of wickets: 1-94, 2-101, 3-134, 4-186, 5-196, 6-211, 7-213, 8-241.
Bowling: Nisala Tharaka 3-0-19-0, Sohan Kariyawasam 4-0-38-1, Kaushalya Gajasinghe,
9-1-28-2, Udara Jayashanka 10-2-33-1, Nirwantha Theekshila 4-0-35-0,
Tharaka Nimesh 1-0-9-0, Romesh Buddhika 9-0-44-1, Sachith Lakmal 5-0-26-1.
MAHINDA COLLEGE INNINGS
(Revised target 161 in 21 overs)
Denuwan Rajakaruna not out 29
Nisala Tharaka not out 15
Extras 3
Total (for no loss in 6 overs) 47
Bowling: B. Rajapaksa 3-1-22-0, D. Ranasinghe 2-0-18-0, R. Rambukwella 1-0-6-0. |
