Battle of Nilwala flows astray

Priyan de Silva - Matara Sports Correspondent

Umpires Vidura Prasad and Pradeep Kumara would make a final decision on the outcome of the 113th Battle of Nilwala, the big match between St Servatius College and St Thomas College, Matara after consultation with the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association as the batsmen removed the stumps prior to the completion of the last hour. St Thomas were 118/8 at the time and it was possible that three more overs could have been bowled.

St Servatius declared their first innings at 181/9 off 65 overs and St Thomas were restricted to 151 in their first essay. The Servatians were 95/6 at the end of day two.

Skipper Gihan Nimsara 71 off 111 balls with eight boundaries and Ruchira Jayathunga 25 put on 82 runs for the seventh wicket.

Right arm fast bowler Hashan Vimarshana and right arm off spinner Taleesha Dilan captured five wickets each.

The Thomians were tottering 45/5 with Lasith Lakshan 68 not out and skipper Jayanga de Silva 15 shared a 48 run partnership in 155 balls to avoid defeat.

St Servatius 
First innings 
181/9 dec 65 overs

St Thomas 
First innings 
151 in 68.5 overs
St Servatius 
2nd innings 
196 in 49.1 overs
Thushan Eranga ct Danusha Lanka b Hashan Vimarshana 	04
Yohan Chanuka lbw Hashan Vimarshana 			01
Ramesh Nimantha  b Thaleesha Dilan 			05
Sanjika Ridma ct Rasika Damith b Thaleesha Dilan 	26
Gihan Nimsara ct Ishan Maduranga b Thaleesha Dilan 	71
Kavindu Umesh lbw Thaleesha Dilan 			00
Vidath Dilshan ct Rusiru Akshaya b Hashan Vimarshana 	00
Ruchira Jayathunga st Rusiru Akshaya b Thaleesha Dilan 	25
Chalanaka Weerasinghe b Hashan Vimarshana 		14
Dishan Indika b Hashan Vimarshana 			00
Ashen Deemantha  not out 				00
Extras: (bye 3, lbye 8, wides 16, no balls 1)		28
Total:							196
Bowling: (Hashan Vimarshana 16-4-40-5, Rasika Damith 2-0-03-0, Thaleesha Dilan 22-1-84-5, 
Jayanga de Silva 2-3-18-0, Vidath Jayanidu 5-0-17-0, Lasith Lakshan 1-0-03-0).

St Thomas 
2nd innings 
118/7 65 overs
Nevindu Udesh ct Gihan Nimsara b Chalanaka Weerasinghe 	04
Vidath Jayanidu ct Yohan Chanuka b Sanjika Ridma 	00
Lasith Lakshan not out 					68
Ishan Maduranga  ct Yohan Chanuka b Sanjika Ridma 	05
Rusiru Akshaya lbw Ashen Deemantha 			07
Jayanga de Silva ct Dishan Indika b Ramesh Nimantha 	15
Hashan Vimarshana  ct Kavindu Umesh b Sajika Ridma 	15
Dhanusha Lanka  not out 				00
Total:							118
Fall of wickets: (1-04, 2-10, 3-16, 4-41, 5-45, 6-93, 7-116).
Bowling: Chalanaka Weerasinghe 17-3-50-1, Sanjika Ridma 26-8-43-3, Ashen Deemantha 13-8-13-1, 
Ramesh Nimantha 6-2-08-2, Ruchira Jayathunga 1-0-02-0, Yohan Chanuka 2-2-00-0).