Kalutara saw a result in one of their oldest schools cricket rivalries, the Battle of the Mangosteens, today at the Surrey Village Cricket Grounds in Maggona after 10 years. The team leading the series with 22 wins, Kalutara Vidyalaya recorded their 23rd Big Match win.
The first batting essay didn’t kick start very well for Tissa Central College after they were put in to bat first by the Kalutara Vidyalaya skipper. The innings which started poorly managed to reach 3 figures with the help of 2 partnerships worth 44 and 37 for the 3rd and 5th wickets respectively.
Photos: Kalutara Vidyalaya vs Tissa Central College | 61st Battle of The Mangosteen
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Reeling on 106/8 the Tissa-ites were given a boost of 31 runs for the 9th wicket to take them close to a competitive score, before they were bowled out for 145 runs. Kosala Ravindu batting at number 5 top scored with 47 runs for Tissa Central in the 1st innings. Kalutara Vidyalaya skipper Kavindu Jayawickrama grabbed 5 wickets for 52 runs with his left arm spin while Sri Lanka U19 cap, off spinner Avishka Lakshan picked up 3 wickets for 31 runs.
In reply to the 145 runs made by Tissa Central, Kalutara Vidyalaya was in tatters on 110/9, trailing by 35 runs. But a superb 51-run stand for the last wicket between number 8 Krishan Viranga and last man Dileesha Arunodya helped Kalutara Vidyalaya gain a valuable lead of 16 runs. Viranga ended up reaching his half-century while Arunodya remained unbeaten on 10.
Apart from the half-century stand for the last wicket, the Kevians were also provided with a 50-run stand for the opening partnership between Gihan Sanchana and Vishara Fernando. Fernando’s 31 was the 2nd highest score in Kalutara Vidyalaya’s 1st innings.
In bowling for Tissa Central, Sri Lanka U19 cap, left arm spinner Rohan Sanjaya picked up 4 wickets for 44 runs while Ashen Nawanjana picked up 3 wickets with his off spin. Left-arm spinner Heshan Uminda also contributed with 2 wickets.
>>61st Battle of the Mangosteen – Preview<<
Beginning their 2nd innings on day 2, the boys from Tissa were put into an extremely difficult situation as 8 of their wickets were removed for just 38 runs. Out of the 8 wickets which fell, 6 were ducks. Interestingly it was the Kevian fast bowlers led by Vishmika Costa who did the damage. Costa grabbed 4 wickets while his new ball partner Arunodya picked up 2 wickets.
With the match expected to wind up soon, Iranda Dewmith and Harsha Madushanka battled hard and long to save their team from disgrace. The pair added 64 valuable runs for the 9th wicket, taking Tissa Central past the 100-run mark, which looked impossible when the duo came together.
Breaking the stubborn stand, Kevians’ Captain Jayawickrama removed Madushanka for 32. Dewmith battling even longer added 24 more runs with number 11 Uminda taking their team to a respectable total of 126. Dewmith remained unbeaten on 33 while Jayawickrama ended with 4 wickets.
Chasing a target of 111 runs in 29 overs, the Kevians lost their dashing opener Vishara Fernando in just the 4th over. One-down batsman Minindu Silva held the Kalutara Vidyalaya innings together and took them home in the 29th over. The right-handed Silva remained unbeaten on 57.
Head Coach of Kalutara Vidyalaya, Mr. Sunil Saluwadana shared the following thoughts exclusively to ThePapare.com after their landmark victory,
“Our team is definitely not the most talented team, but we kept on practicing as a team to make sure that each member of the team gives their best. We are playing with a very young team since most of our seniors left last year, 8 to be precise. It was very challenging at the beginning. But I managed to prepare them mentally and achieve this. With things being very bad in the surroundings I’m really happy to be able to guide this young team to a Big Match win after 10 years.”
This being the 31st year of his coaching stint with Kalutara Vidyalaya, this goes down as the 6th Big Match win for Kalutara Vidyalaya under him. Saluwadana and also Captain Jayawickrama are hoping to give a good game to Royal College in the all-important Division II Semi-Final which is scheduled to take place on the 3rd and 4th of April at St. Joseph’s College grounds.
Special Awards
Man of the Match – Minindu Silva (Kalutara Vidyalaya)
Best Batsman – Krishan Viranga (Kalutara Vidyalaya)
Best Bowler – Kavindu Jayawickrama (Kalutara Vidyalaya)
Best Fielder – Oshen Nimrod (Tissa Central College)
Brief Score
Tissa Central College Kalutara – 145 (47) Kosala Ravindu 47, Ashen Chanula 30, Oshen Nimrod 21, Kavindu Jayawikrama 5/52, Avishka Lakshan 3/31 & 126 (35) Iranda Dewmith 33, Harsha Madushanka 32, Vishmika Costa 4/15, Kavindu Jayawikrama 3/43, Dileesh Arunodya 2/22
Kalutara Vidyalaya – 161 (48.3) Krishan Viranga 50, Vishara Fernandu 31, Prabod Wanigasingha 23, Rohan Sanjaya 4/44, Ashen Nawanjana 3/13, Heshan Uminda 2/31 & 114/5 (28.1) Minindu Silva 57*, Heshan Uminda 2/20
Kalutara Vidyalaya won by 5 wickets
