Harsha takes two hat-tricks in an innings

Priyan de Silva-Matara Sports Correspondent

Left arm paceman Harsha Rajapaksha of Rahula College Matara who capture ten wickets in an innings earlier this season performed another unique feat by

taking two hat tricks in one innings when St Thomas' College Kotte hosted Rahula College Matara for their under-19 division two game at Rajasinghe Central College grounds in Hanwella.

Harsha Rajapaksha. Picture by Matara Sports Corr.

STC Kotte on being asked to bat first lost opener Madusanka Perera who was bowled in the 5th ball of the day by Harsha Rajapaksha who opened the bowling. Khanishka Sandaruwan followed Madhusanka to the pavilion in the very next ball. Anuth Rajapaksha was trapped Leg Before in the first delivery of Harsha's second over which was the third in the game.

Harsha's second hat-trick was in his third over when he had the other opening batsman J B Austin Ebert trapped LBW in the first delivery, Bowled Dilshan Ariyasena in the second and had STC Kotte's skipper Shehan Karunarathna caught in the third. Harsha had J D Austin Ebert caught in his fourth over to have the Kotte Thomian's reeling with seven wickets down for nineteen runs! Kalana Silva 65 and Mavan Hussain 13 put on 83 runs for the eighth wicket to give the total some respect. The Thomian innings ended at 109 in 39.5 overs.

Rahula lost opener Nadun Tharanga for a duck in the first ball of the day and lost wickets at regular intervals to register a total of 146

runs. Lasindu Nimsara scored 33 runs while Tharush Priyaranga 3/11, J D Austin Ebert 2/20, Kalana Silva 2/39 and J B Austin Ebert 2/52

shared the wickets.

The Kotte Thomian's second innings was restricted to 134 runs by Harsha Rajapaksha 4/27 and Mayura Galappaththi 4/33. Rahula College scored the required 98 runs for the loss of four wickets in 21.3 overs. Rukshan Gunawardena scored 43 runs and Harsha Rajapaksha was

unbeaten on 26 scored in 21 balls with two boundaries and two sixers. Rahula won the match by six wickets.

STC Kotte 109 in 39.5 overs (Kalana Silva 65, Harsha Rajapaksha 7/42, Lasindu Nimsara 2/13) and 134 in 41.1 overs (Shehan Karunarathna 28, Dilshan Ariyasena 26 not out, Madhusanka Perera 23, Harsha Rajapaksha 4/27, Mayura Galappaththi 4/33)

Rahula 146 (Lasindu Nimsara 33, Sahan Madukalpa 26, Shehan Kahandugoda 22, Tharusha Priyanga 3/11, J D Austin Ebert 2/20, Kalana Silva 2/39, J B Austin Ebert 2/52) and 98 / 4 in 21.3 overs (Rukshan Gunawardena 43, Harsha Rajapaksha 26 not out, J B Austin Ebert 3/26)