Rajans have the edge

S M Jiffry ABDEEN- Kandy Sports Correspondent reporting from Pallekelle

Despite a late fight back by Kingswood College, Dharmaraja College had the edge at the end of the first day's play in their 105th 'Battle of the Maroons' which began at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium, yesterday. The match will be continued today at 9.30 am.

Rajans skipper Hemal Munaweera won the toss and put the opponents to bat which turned out to be a good decision.

Kingswoodians lost both openers for 5 and a third wicket at 21. It was only a defiant knock of 50 with 6 fours and 1 six off 84 balls by vice captain Nisitha Weerakoon which saved the Kingswoodians from a debacle.

He put on 44 runs from the fourth wiket with Lakshitha Madushan who batted aggressively to make 30 with 6 fours off 30 deliveries.

Rest of the batting crumbled, losing their last 6 wickets for 27 runs as the score slid from 90 for 4 to 117 all out. Medium pacer Nuwan Karunaratne (3 for 34) and off spinner Deneth Lanka (3 for 33) bowled well for the Rajans.

Rajans in their turn at the wickets, lost an early wicket, that of vice captain Kavinda Wijekoon who was run out for 10.

But Sasith Gunasekera 56 with 5 fours off 118 balls and Sadun Weerakoddy 43 (6 fours, 50 balls) repaired the damage to some extent by putting on 70 for the second wicket.

Rajans were cruising well with the scoreboard reading 161 for 3 just before the close. But three wickets fell without any addition to the total with leg spinner Lakmal Hettiarachchi taking two of them in late burst.

Kingswood College - 1st innings

Mahes Dunukera b Lanka 2, Shaluka Walisundera b Karunaratne 2, Nisitha Weerakoon lbw b Karunaratne 50, Chamila Gunasekera lbw b Karunaratne 1, Lakshitha Madushan lbw b Ratnayake 30, Yasindu Athukorale c Lanka b Withanarachchi 11, Tharindu Gunaratne run out (Lahiru Herath) 1, Madhusha Premawardena c and b Nakkawita 8, Nuwan Unamboowe not out 4, Dulanjith Prathapasinghe lbw b Lanka 0, Lakmal Hettiarachchi b Lanka 0. Extras 9.

Total (all out) 117 off 38.5 overs.

Fall of wickets: 3, 9, 21, 65, 90, 94, 107, 114, 117.

Bowling: Nuwan Karunaratne 12-3-34-3, Lahiru Herath 1-0-2-0, Deneth Lanka 15.3-3-33-3, Arvinda Withanarachchi 6-1-17-1, Mayura Ratnayake 2-0-14-1, Sasanka Nakkawita 2-2-0-1. Dharmaraja College - 1st innings

Kavinda Wijekoon run out (Athukorale) 10, Sasith Gunasekera c Chamila Gunasekera b Athukorale 56, Sandun Weerakoddy c and b Athurkoale 43, Hemal Munaweera c Prathapasinghe b Hettiarachchi 26, Nuwan Karunaratne c Athukorale b Hettirachchi 24, Deneth Lanka st Weerakoon b Gunaskera 0, Lahiru Herath not out 1, Sasanka Nakkawita not out 7. Extras 6.

Total (for 6 wickets) 169. (48 overs).

Fall of wickets: 32, 102, 119, 161, 161.

Bowling: Yasindu Athukorale 8-1-21-2, Dulanjith Prathapasinghe 8-2-23-0, Chamila Gunasekera 12-0-13-1, Madhusha Premawardena 5-1-19-0, Lakmal Hettiarachchi 8-2-30-2, Lakshitha Madushan 5-0-21-0, Nuwan Unamboowe 2-0-18-0.