North Western and Southern provinces climb to the top

In the games which concluded on Tuesday, Western Province Central and North Western Province registered emphatic outright victories over Uva Province and Northern Province respectively while Southern Province were deprived of a certain victory by a determined performance by Central Province outfit.

Western Province Central vs Uva Province

Lumbini College left-arm spinner Vimukthi Kulathunga and Zahira College right-arm off spinner Sajith Sameera completely destroyed Uva Province in their second innings as Western Province Central recorded an innings and 97-run victory at Colts grounds.

Earlier on day two morning, the Westerners added 23 runs to their overnight score of 318 before declaring their innings. The main highlight on day one was the swashbuckling century by Thanuka Dabare while the Peterite left-hander Manelkar De Silva missed out on a century as he became Uva Province captain Avindu Theekshana’s 5^th wicket.

Photo Album – Western Province Central vs Uva Province

Uva started their second innings with a huge deficit of 225 runs but they were totally bamboozled by Kulathunga (6/63) who went onto complete a 10-wicket match bag and Sameera (4/16). Opening batsman Naveen Hasaranga made 54 while captain Theekshana scored 46 in a losing cause as they were bundled out for just 128 runs.

Uva – 116 all out in 44.1 overs: Gayana Preethimal 43, Mapa Malindu 21, Neranjan Wanniarachchi 24, Vimukthi Kulathunga 4/41.

WP Central – 341/9 declared in 58.1 overs: Thanuka Dabare 100, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 22, Sanjula Abeywickrama 29, Pathum Nissanka 67, Vishad Randika 23, Manelkar De Silva 85, Avindu Theekshana 5/84.

Uva (2^nd inn) – 128 all out in 37.1 overs: Naveen Hasaranga 54, Avindu Theekshana 46, Mapa Malindu 20, Vimukthi Kulathunga 6/63, Sajith Sameera 4/16.

North Western Province vs Northern Province

North Western Province inspired by a stellar performance on day two registered a convincing 6-wicket win over Northern Province at R. Premadasa International Stadium.

Photo Album – Northern Province v North Western Provice

They started day two on 133 for 4 and reached the first innings points thanks to Damitha Silva’s knock of 30 and hard-hitting 30-ball innings of 40 by R Ranasinghe. The combined bowling effort restricted Northern Province to only 116 in their second innings as Dilshan Kollure and Piyumal Singhawansa took 3 wickets apiece. The North Westerners reached the target quite convincingly with their skipper Damitha Silva scoring the winning runs.

Northern – 223/9 in 65 overs: S Jeni Fleming 63, Shalitha Fernando 25, Ayana Siriwardena 59, S Rushanthan 30, K Kapilraj 20*, Romesh Ranasinghe 2/15, Nipun Dhananjaya 2/32, Damitha Silva 2/60, Piyumal Singhawansa 2/41.

North Western – 228/8 in 51.2 overs: Dilshan Kollure 40, Kamesh Nirmal 38, Keshan Wanniarachchi 33, Damitha Silva 30, Romesh Ranasinghe 40*,  V Jathushan 3/59, K Kapilraj 3/59.

Northern (2^nd inn) – 116 all out in 50 overs: C Thevaprashanth 25, Ayana Siriwardena 23, M Nithushan 22, Damitha Silva 2/37, Dilshan Kollure 3/6, Piyumal Singhawansa 3/17.

North Western (2^nd inn) – 115/4 in 26.3 overs: Wanitha Wanninayake 44, Keshan Wanniarachchi 29, Damitha Silva 25*, Praveen Jayawickrama 2/44.

Eastern Province vs North Central Province

The top run-getter of the ongoing tournament, Lasith Crosspulle of De Mazenod College made his second ton for Eastern Province but North Central Province won the game on first innings at MCA grounds.

Photo Album – Eastern Province squad

Right-handed Crosspulle consumed only 112 balls to reach his magnificent knock of 114 before setting a victory target of 260 which the North Central could not reach at stumps on day two. Earlier on day two, North Central collected first-innings points and avoided Eastern Province’s only chance of gaining a win under their belt.

Eastern – 158 all out in 41.1 overs: Anjana Liyanage 61, R Thenurathan 22, Dinesh Madusanka 27, Nipun Lakshan 5/39, Thilina Dhananjaya 2/19, Asela Sigera 2/33.

North Central – 173 all out in 61.5 overs: Nipun Lakshan 25, Asel Sigera 23, Sajith De Silva 20, Thilina Dhananjaya 36, Dasun Senevirathne 14, RavinthaI llangasinghe 16, Deshan Fernando 3/48, R Thenurathna 4/33.

Eastern (2^nd inn) – 274/6 declared in 48.5 overs: Lasith Crosspulle 114, Torin Pitigala 57, Deshan Fernando 36, Sasindu Diwankara 22, Asel Sigera 3/100,

North Central (2^nd inn) – 141/4 in 38 overs: Sajith De Silva 76, Pubudu Chathuranga 24.

Southern Province vs Central Province

St. Anthony’s College wicket-keeper batsman Mohommad Alfar’s gritty 123 helped Central Province force a draw against the table-toppers, Southern Province at FTZ grounds in Katunayake.

Photo Album – Southern Province squad

The boys from Central Province had no answers to the left-arm spin of Hareen Buddhila in their first innings as the Aloysian spinner ran through the Central batting line up with a brilliant spell of bowling yet the diminutive right-hander from Kandy saved the game for the lads from Hill Capital.

Southern – 297/9 in 65 overs: Navindu Nirmal 84, Chathura Milan 55, Ashen Bandara 49, Kaveesha Dilranga 26, Gihan Witharana 3/61, Virajitha Jayasinghe 2/40.

Central – 162 all out in 59.1 overs: Deshan Gunasinghe 33*, Mohommad Alfar 30, Hareen Buddhila 5/37, Dilum Sudheera 3/38, Nipun Ranshika 2/39.

Central (2^nd Inn F/O) – 340/8 in 79 overs: Mohommad Alfar 123, Hasitha Boyagoda 58, Deshan Gunasinghe 65*, Thisaru Dilshan 51, Harin Buddhila 2/104, Nipun Ranshika 2/44.