Colts Ladies plunder a staggering 504-1!

By Samiddha Kalmith Rathnayake
Records tumbled at the Colts cricket grounds, Havelock Park like ninepins on Monday when Colombo Colts Ladies team plundered a world record total of 504 for one wicket off 50 overs in their Premier Ladies cricket match against Pushpadana Ladies CC, Kandy. The tournament is conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket.

The feature of the Colts Ladies batting was the record breaking unbroken second wicket partnership of 384 runs between skipper Sandamali Dolawatte and Iroshi Abeysinghe.
Sandamali went onto score an undefeated 231 off 178 balls with the help of 31 fours while Iroshi’s share of the massive stand was an unbeaten 171 scored off 97 balls with the aid of 28 fours.

Their hapless opponents were then bundled out for a mere 19 runs off 17.3 overs as Colts Ladies recorded a resounding win by a record margin of 485 runs.

In women’s ODI cricket no batswoman has made more than 229 (n.o.) which stands to the name of Australia’s Belinda Clark in 1997-98 while the largest winning margin is by 408 runs when New Zealand Women beat Pakistan Women at Christchurch in 1997.
The highest total made in women’s cricket is 455-5 (50) by New Zealand Women in the same match. In the current Premier Ladies tournament CCC dismissed Nittambuwa Ladies for 17 at the FTZ grounds on Sunday. In ODIs no team has been dismissed for less than 23.

The highest partnership for any wicket in a women’s ODI is 258 for the first wicket by Indian pair M. Gandhi and M. Raj against Ireland in 1999.

When contacted by ‘The Bottom Line’ on their record breaking feats, Sandamali admitted that their batting skills were hardly tested by the visitors. “But it is great to feel fit to spend such a long time in the middle,” she said.

Sandamali who is employed at Singer (Sri Lanka) is also a permanent member in the Sri Lanka Ladies squad. Being the current national vice-captain and a former national captain, she said that she does not have any big plans but to continue her good form until the next World Cup.

Iroshi who is also another national player said that she really enjoyed her innings. After playing nine years of cricket she said that her heart lies in coaching.
“I like to be a coach one day. That is my dream,” she said. Being an old girl at St. Paul’s Girls College she learnt her first lessons in cricket at Nomads club. She is currently employed at Holiday Resorts, Thimbirigasaya.