Western Province South claimed the top spot of Group B in the SLC Super 19 Provincial Tournament 2016 when they defeated Central Province by 7 wickets at Surrey Village grounds in Maggona.
Captain Avishka Fernando’s excellent 160 and fast-bowler Inosh Geshan’s five-wicket haul paved the way for the Westerners over the lads from Hill Capital.
Western Province South posted 300 for 7 before declaring their first innings after being 238 for 1 overnight. Avishka failed to contribute much on second day’s morning but set up a perfect platform for his bowlers to strike in the second innings. He made a run-a-ball 160 with 16 fours and 6 sixes to his name.
Trinity College opener Shanmuganathan Shanogeeth made an elegant 89-ball 70 inclusive of 11 fours and a six but the other batsmen failed to contribute to their match-saving cause. Last-man Deshan Gunasinghe slammed a quick-fire 46 from 41 ball to evade the innings defeat for Central Province.
After trailing by 160 runs, Central Province mustered only 195 in their second innings as fast-bowler Inosh Geshan and Prince of Wales’ College left-arm spinner Thilan Nimesh shared 8 wickets for the title favourites, Western Province South.
The lads from Western Province cruised to their mere victory target of 36 with more than 2 hours of play left. Trinity College left-arm seamer Thisaru Dilshan was the most impressive bowler for the team from upcountry as he bagged 6 wickets throughout the match.
Central – 140 all out in 55.1 overs: Gihan Witharana 28, Mohommad Alfar 25, Savindu Peiris 2/12, Asher Warnakulasuriya 2/17, Dilesh Nanayakkara 2/19.
WP South – 300/7 declared in 59.3 overs: Avishka Fernando 160, Kamil Mishra 61, Vishwa Chathuranga 32, Thisaru Dilshan 4/46, Sivakumar Tiron 2/72.
Central (2nd inn) – 195 all out in 52.2 overs: S Shanogeeth 70, Deshan Gunasinghe 46, Thisaru Dilshan 25*, Inosh Geeshan 5/36, Thilan Nimesh 3/38.
WP South (2nd inn) – 37/3 in 6.1 overs: Vishwa Chathuranga 21, Thisaru Dilshan 2/09.
Points Table after three rounds
