Kalana leads S. Thomas’ fight back after Manula five-fer

The two Perera’s, Manula of Royal College and Kalana of S. Thomas’ College hogged the limelight on day one of the 139^th Battle of the Blues cricket encounter on Friday at SSC Grounds.

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After being sent into bat first on a slightly gloomy morning, S. Thomas’ College were rattled by the slow left-arm spin of Manula who took 5 for 43 to restrict the Thomians to 166 for 9. In reply, Royal were struggling at 33 for 3 against the quality left-arm fast bowling of Kalana.

Watch LIVE : Royal College vs S. Thomas’ College – 139th Battle of the Blues

Earlier in the first session, the Royal seamers failed to deliver the goods by troubling the Thomian openers on a fresh, green pitch which prompted the skipper Pasindu Sooriyabandara to bring on the slow bowlers after only 9 overs by the seam bowling-trio.

Off-spinner Kamil Mishara struck right away in his second over when the Thomian vice-captain Dulith Gunaratne was caught at cover to end the 27-run opening stand.

Left-arm spinner Manula Perera was introduced to the attack in the 16^th over which slowed down the Thomians drastically. Perera took a splendid return catch to dismiss Shalin De Mel as the Thomians went into lunch on 52 for 2.

After the forty-minute break, Manula continued to halt the Thomians by picking up wickets at regular intervals. One-drop batsman Kishan Munasinghe was trapped right in front while the Thomian skipper Dellon Peiris holed out to mid-on as the school by the sea were 4 down for 69.

Photos: Royal College vs S. Thomas’ College – 139th Battle of the Blues – Day 01

Sithara Hapuhinna and Manthila Wijerathne constructed the best partnership in the Thomian innings – 46 runs in 67 deliveries for the 5^th wicket before seamer Kavindu Pathiratne induced the outside edge of Hapuhinna for 34.

Wiijeratne made 24 before becoming Manula’s fourth victim while Kalana Perera also played a loose stroke as Manula completed his five-wicket haul.

“There wasn’t much assistance from the pitch so I had a clear plan of bowling to a set line and length. I made small adjustments to the field and changed the bowling speeds which I think helped me. I am extremely happy to take a five-fer which I was dreaming as a kid.” Manula stated exclusively to ThePapare.com

The Thomian lower order could not make much of a difference to the slow run-rate of 2.58 as they ended their innings on 166 for 9 by making a bold declaration at around 4.00pm.S

S.Thomas’ College spearhead Kalana Perera was on top of his game as he trapped Bhagya Dissanayake in his very first over with a delivery which angled back into the right-hander.

Kalana Perera’s second wicket was purely thanks to an exceptional catch by Shalin De Mel at cover-point to dismiss Gayan Dissanayake while Kamil Mishara could not handle the short deliver- barrage of the Sri Lanka U19 left-arm seamer as Royal were tottering at 21 for 3.

Captain Sooriyabandara and Vice-Captain Kavindu Madarasinghe managed to bat till the umpires called it a day due to bad light, losing 8 overs from the allotted 90 overs for the day.

Play will resume tomorrow (10^th March) at 9.45am for second day’s play.