The 79th Battle of the Saints played at the P.Sara Stadium (Oval) on the st and 2nd of March ended in a stalemate as both sides failed to out-play each other.
However, these traditional rivals managed to put up an entertaining game that saw more than 900 runs been scored along with 29 dismissals in a game that consisted mostly positive cricket.
The Josephians who looked to have taken control of the game on the first day, lost the all-important wicket of centurion Sadeera Samarawickrema early in the morning. He only managed to add 21 runs to his overnight score of 105, as he clobbered a well-deserved 126 which included 15 boundaries and a six. Sadeera and Sachin Hewawasam managed to put on a brilliant 110 run partnership to give the Josephians a huge boost.
After Sadeera’s dismissal, Sachin Hewawasam played a captains knock, as he went on to make his half century ensuring that his middle order batted around him as they managed to surpass the Peterite first innings total of 237. However, there was a slight middle order collapse towards the end, as they looked to accelerate the scoring in between the 50th and 60th overs.
The boys from Darley Road managed to put on a formidable total of 281 for the loss of 8 wickets giving them an advantage of 44 runs, with two and a half sessions of play in hand.
Julian de Zilva was the pick of the bowler for the Peterites, grabbing three wickets including the ‘prize’ wickets of Hewawasam and Samarawickrema.
The Peterites who slumped on the first day, began very brightly in the 2nd essay as the opening pair of Sasheen Fernando and Jason Bultjens went on to put up a brilliant 89 run partnership taking the game to their rivals. They did not seem to be fazed by the fact that the Peterites had conceded a first innings lead. Bultjens looked to be the more attacking player of the pair as he went on to score 56 runs before being judged LBW.
Sasheen was joined by the in-form batsman Janith Liyanage, who was the only half centurion for Peters in the first innings. Living up to his credentials, Liyanage thumped the ball to all parts of the ground, scoring six 6’s and 4’s, playing the game as if it were a T20. Liyanage was an absolute treat to watch, as he scored back to back sixes as Peters piled on the runs in quick fashion. The Liyanage-Fernando partnership was worth 109 runs before Janith tried to cheekishly reverse sweep Sachin Hewawasam only to find the safe hands at Priyamal Perera who was at short third man.
Fernando missed a well-deserved century, as he followed Liyanage back to the dressing room having scored 82 runs. Again, Sasheen stepped out too far down the pitch eventually missing Hewawasam’s delivery leaving the wicket keeper to clean up the bails.
After the fall of Fernando’s wicket, the Peterites began to be a little bit more edgy as the middle order only managed to put on another 40 runs before the lads from Bambalapitiya decided to declare with the score on 253 for 7 wickets, giving them what seemed an unattainable lead of 209 given the amount of time and overs remaining.
The Josephians started their second innings slower than expected, with the openers posting a partnership of 49 runs using up more than 70 balls. However, the next pair managed to fire things up for the Josephians giving them a glimmer of hope.
Sadheera Samarawickrama and Priyamal Perera managed to score 65 runs in between them, at a scoring rate of more than a run a ball with 12 boundaries between them. Dushantha Nimantha made an intelligent bowling change by bringing on the medium pacer Janith Liyanage to stem the run flow as the Joesephians were managing to work their way through with ease. Liyanage managed to unsettle Samarawickrama’s wicket with a well-disguised ball eventually breaking this dangerous partnership.
Priyamal went on to score his half century using up only 36 balls, which included six 4’s and two 6’s. The tables turned once Chemila Obeysekara managed to pick up Priyamals wicket as the boys from Darley Road lost two wickets in the space of three runs. With the light fading, play was called off, thus resulting in an exciting draw with both teams having a fair share of the spoils.
SCORES IN BRIEF:
St. Peters College 1st innings 238/9 declared in 60 overs (Janith Liyanage 69, Crishan Fernando 47, Julian de Zylva 25, Chemila Obeysekera 20, Jason Buultjens 25, Lahiru Milantha 6, Ranitha Liyanarachchi 11, Aravind Akurugoda 3/34, Sachin Hewawasam 2/35)
St. Josephs College 1st innings 281/8 declared in 60 overs (Sadeera Samarawickrama 127 & Sachien Hewawasam 52, Julian De Zilva 3/72)
St. Peters College 2nd Innings 253 declared in 60.2 overs (Janith Liyanage 64, Sasheen Fernando 82, Jason Buultjens 56, Fabian Fernando 4/45, Sachin Hewawasam 2/61)
St. Josephs College 1st innings 140/5 in 24.2 overs, play called off due to bad light. (Sadeera Samarawickrama 31 & Priyamal Perera 54, Chemila Obeysekara 2/16)
Result: Match Drawn
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