Ruhuna in innings win

Chris Dhambarage

Paceman Tharanga Lakshitha and spinner Sachithra Senanayake snapped up four wickets each to inspire Ruhuna to a morale boosting innings and 63 run outright victory over Wayamba in their Bank of Ceylon Inter Provincial four day cricket tournament match which concluded at the Colts CC ground in Havelock Park yesterday.

Wayamba trailing by a massive 298 runs on the first innings succumbed under pressure as they were bundled out for 235 runs in the second innings with Lakshitha and Senanayake sharing eight wickets between them.

Ruhuna’s success had a great amount of significance as they cruised to their first win of the tournament in their second outing. As a result they moved into the fourth place in the points table while trailing by a mere 0.30 points from the third place Wayamba.

Wayamba of course had some hope of saving the game with Shalika Karunanayake putting up a stubborn batting performance. The dynamic all rounder carried his bat until the end and went on to remain unbeaten on 95 from 102 deliveries inclusive of four sixes and seven boundaries. However the rest of the batting failed to provide the back up support with Tharanga Lakshitha adding the finishing touches while capturing the last two wickets of the Wayamba second innings.

Wayamba: 161 and 235 (M. van Dort 34, J. Kulatunga 85, S. Karunanayake 95 n.o, T. Lakshitha 4 for 60, S. Senanayake 4 for 80).

Ruhuna: 459

Easy for Basnahira North

Two unbeaten half centuries from opener Dimuth Karunaratne and wicket keeper batsman Kaushal Silva guided Basnahira North to a smashing eight wicket outright victory over Basnahira South in their Bank of Ceylon Inter Provincial four day cricket tournament match which concluded at the De Soysa Stadium in Moratuwa yesterday.

Karunaratne hit a splendid 84 not out from 106 deliveries with the help of one six and eleven boundaries. Kaushal Silva was equally brilliant as he compiled an unbeaten 52 from 97 balls including one six and nine boundaries.

The pair also figured in an unfinished third wicket stand of 118 runs from 29.2 overs as Basnahira North reached their target of 163 runs quite convincingly. This win also helped Basnahira North to remain on top of the points table for the third successive week.

They are currently 12 points ahead of their closest rivals Basnahira South who are placed second in the points table followed by Wayamba, Ruhuna and Kandurata.

The tournament will resume on April 22 with Ruhuna taking on kandurata at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium and Basnahira North up against Wayamba at the De Soysa Stadium in Moratuwa.

Basnahira South: 224 and 259.

Basnahira North: 321 and 165 for 2 (D. Karunaratne 84 n.o, S. Serasinghe 20, K. Silva 52 n.o, M. Siriwardena 2 for 30).