School Cricket Review

Josephian openers set new mark

By M Naushad Amit
It was good to see positive cricket last week in the school matches with four schools achieving innings victories and three winning outright. This was possible with many schoolboy cricketers performing excellently to record seven centuries and 21 half-centuries. Josephian captain Dimuth Karunaratne was the top scorer with 148 runs off 143 balls in a drawn match against Trinity at Asgiriya Stadium in the weekend. His deputy Ruwantha Fernandopulle also hit a well deserved 102. The pair shared a record opening stand of 263 to surpass the 243 made by Viran Perera and Dion Morris in 1991.

Seven bowlers made it past the five-wicket mark in an innings. Thomian Milan Fernando came out with the best bowling figures in an innings for the week with 7 wickets for 29 runs in a match winning performance against Wesley at Campbell Park. S. Thomas’ won the match by an innings and 21 runs to retain the M. Sathasivam Trophy. It was their fifth win of the season. Fernando claimed a match bag of 10 for 53 while Navid Ghany gave the Thomians a solid century with 100 not out. Jeffery Vandesay picked up 6 for 104 for Wesley.

Another century and four fifties were recorded in the match between Nalanda and Dharmaraja which ended in a draw at Campbell Place. Nipun Karunanayake scored 103 while Primosh Perera (68) and Madhawa Warnapura (63) hit half-centuries for Nalanda. Rajan’s Prasad Amarasekara (67) and Tharindu Perera (54) made fifties for their side.

In yet another drawn match, St. Sebastian’s Sanjaya Fernando made the highest half-century for the week with 94 runs in the first innings. In the second innings, Trevin Fernando stroked a beautiful 127 for the Sebs against St Anthony’s, Katugastota.

Prince of Wales registered their fifth outright win of the season in the match against Richmond, Galle at Moratuwa. Four half tons by Ajith Weerasuriya (72), Sashan Silva (56), Lahiru Lakmal (54) and Thilan Chandima (50) and a five-wicket haul by Charith Kariyawasam (5 for 26) took Prince of Wales to an innings and 4-run victory.

Maris Stella’s Ashen Silva (5 for 28) and St. Benedict’s Dilanka Auwardt (5 for 56) claimed five wickets in a single innings in the drawn encounter at Kotahena.

Kegalu Vidyalaya registered a ten-wicket win over Vidyartha College, Kandy at Kegalle last week. Lahiru Pathirana had the best match bag with figures of 7 for 32 and 6 for 14 to have 13 for 46 in the winning encounter. Another five-wicket haul was achieved by Nadun Basnayake (5 for 65) for Vidyartha.

Match bags from Chalitha Dharmaprema (8 for 101) and Prasad Senaratne (7 for 118) helped Kingswood College register a four-wicket win over Maliyadewa College at the University Grounds in Peradeniya.

A great team effort from the St. Sylvester’s cricketers helped them register a seven-wicket win over Ibbagamuwa Central in their match played at Ibbagamuwa.

Meanwhile, Devananda College, Ambalangoda registered their first outright win when they beat Rahula College by two wickets at Matara.

D.S. Senanayake cricketers impressed with good individual performances sans their star bowler Navin Kavikara to register their first outright win over Isipathana by six wickets at the Colts Grounds recently. Hasitha Darshana stroked a brilliant 103 while Harendra Udugamwithana scored a valiant 60. Charith Jayampathi claimed a match bag of 8 for 79 for the winners.