Basnahira South in huge 449 run victory over Ruhuna

Chris Dhambarage

Basnahira South set up a final showdown with their arch rivals Basnahira North with a huge 449 run triumph over Ruhuna in their Bank of Ceylon Inter Provincial 4 day cricket tournament match which concluded at the Colts CC ground in Havelock Park yesterday.

Veteran leg spinner Malinga Bandara captured five wickets for 96 as Ruhuna were dismissed for 259 runs in their second innings after they were set a massive victory target of 709 runs. Ruhuna never looked like forcing a draw despite two splendid half centuries from Upul Tharanga and Tillekeratne Sampath. In fact skipper Tharanga hit a sparkling 83 from 70 balls inclusive of two sixes and a dozen of boundaries while Sampath hammered 58 with three sixes and seven boundaries. Earlier Basnahira South further extended their overall lead by declaring their second innings at 168 for 8.

The final between Basnahira South and Basnahira North will be worked off from May 13 to 16 at the SSC ground in Maitland Place.

Basnahira South: 720 and 168 for 8 decl (M. Warnapura 45, Y. de Silva 31, M. Siriwardena 35, P. Jayawardena 20, S. Senanayake 5 for 47).

Ruhuna: 180 and 259 (G. Alwis 28, U. Tharanga 83, T. Sampath 58, K. Kulasekera 38, M. Bandara 5 for 96).

Rain a spoiler

No play was possible due to bad weather on the fourth and final day of the Bank of Ceylon Inter Provincial 4 day cricket tournament match between Kandurata and Wayamba at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy yesterday.

However Kandurata took first innings points after they had reached an impressive 322 for 3 in reply to Wayamba’s total of 258 all out.

Wayamba: 258

Kandurata: 322 for 3