Senesh Hettiarachchi and Charuka Peiris hit fighting fifties as S. Thomas’ College took the major honours on day one of the 143rd Battle of the Blues against Royal College at SSC Grounds on Thursday.
The second oldest uninterrupted cricket encounter in the world got underway with the Royal College captain Gishan Balasooriya opted to field first on a green deck on an overcast morning.
The Thomian openers – Janindu Abeygunawardene and Senadhi Bulankulame batted cautiously in the first session to add 53 runs without losing any wicket to frustrate the Royalists.
However, after the lunch break, in the third ball of the session, leg-spinner Ramiru Perera caught and bowled Abeygunawardene for 28 to break the opening stand. In the very next over, left-arm spinner Dasis Manchanayake trapped Bulankulame for 18 as Royal slowly crawled their way back into the game.
A superb direct hit by Sadisha Rajapaksa ended number three batter Dineth Gunawardene’s innings as the Thomians lost their third wicket. Royal skipper Balasooriya got two key wickets as the School by the Sea were restricted to 84 for 5 at one stage. Muizz Naushan was trapped LBW and S. Thomas’ captain Ryan Fernando was caught at short extra-cover to the joy of Royalists.
Hettiarachchi and Peiris resurrected the Thomian innings with a fine 94-run stand for the sixth wicket. Left-handed wicket-keeper batter Hettiarachchi scored 7 fours during his 118-ball 55.
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Leg-spinner Perera removed Hettiarachchi with another caught and bowled as Royal struck back before the second new ball was taken in the 79th over.
Number eight batter Mahith Perera remained unbeaten along with Peiris till close of play as S. Thomas’ took major honours on day one. Peiris stood out with a fighting, unbeaten 51 off 143 balls with five fours.
Play will continue tomorrow (22nd July) at 9.40am local time.
S. Thomas’ – 207/6 (90) Senesh Hettiarachchi 55, Charuka Peiris 51*, Janidu Abeygunawardene 28, Gishan Balasooriya 2/52, Ramiru Perera 2/36
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senadhi Bulankulama | lbw b Dasis Manchanayake | 18 | 85 | 1 | 0 | 21.18 |
| Janidu Abegoonawardena | c & b Ramiru Perera | 28 | 93 | 2 | 0 | 30.11 |
| Dineth Gunawardena | run out (Sadisha Rajapaksha) | 12 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 48.00 |
| RAYAN FERNANDO | c Dasis Manchanayake b Gishan Balasuriya | 18 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 58.06 |
| MUIZZ NAUSHAN | b Gishan Balasuriya | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14.29 |
| Senesh Hettiarachchi | c & b Ramiru Perera | 55 | 118 | 7 | 0 | 46.61 |
| Charuka Peiris | lbw b Sandesh Ramanayaka | 51 | 151 | 5 | 0 | 33.77 |
| Mahith Perera | c Dasis Manchanayake b Gishan Balasuriya | 33 | 83 | 2 | 0 | 39.76 |
| Gunaratnam Caniston | b Bulan Weerathunga | 3 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| Akash Fernando | c Sadisha Rajapaksha b Sandesh Ramanayaka | 6 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 27.27 |
| Kavindu Dais | not out | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 17 (b 7 , lb 6 , nb 0, w 4, pen 0) |
| Total | 242/10 (106.2 Overs, RR: 2.28) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Poddiwela | 14 | 3 | 36 | 0 | 2.57 | |
| Sandesh Ramanayaka | 12 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 1.33 | |
| Gishan Balasuriya | 31.2 | 11 | 56 | 3 | 1.79 | |
| Bulan Weerathunga | 12 | 1 | 29 | 1 | 2.42 | |
| Sadisha Rajapaksha | 21 | 4 | 34 | 0 | 1.62 | |
| Ramiru Perera | 9 | 1 | 36 | 2 | 4.00 | |
| Dasis Manchanayake | 7 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 3.14 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanvidu Senartharachchi | lbw b Kavindu Dais | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 12.50 |
| Sineth Jayawardena | c MUIZZ NAUSHAN b Janidu Abegoonawardena | 32 | 38 | 6 | 0 | 84.21 |
| Sadisha Rajapaksha | c Senesh Hettiarachchi b Kavindu Dais | 5 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 41.67 |
| Uvindu Weerasekara | c RAYAN FERNANDO b Kavindu Dais | 66 | 109 | 9 | 0 | 60.55 |
| Dasis Manchanayake | lbw b Gunaratnam Caniston | 17 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 54.84 |
| Ramiru Perera | b Akash Fernando | 34 | 114 | 3 | 0 | 29.82 |
| Nethil Panapitiya | c Mahith Perera b Gunaratnam Caniston | 27 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 36.99 |
| Sandesh Ramanayaka | c Charuka Peiris b Kavindu Dais | 21 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 61.76 |
| Gishan Balasuriya | not out | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14.29 |
| Extras | 15 (b 1 , lb 5 , nb 2, w 2, pen 5) |
| Total | 219/8 (70.4 Overs, RR: 3.1) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gunaratnam Caniston | 23 | 1 | 67 | 2 | 2.91 | |
| Kavindu Dais | 17.4 | 2 | 65 | 4 | 3.74 | |
| Akash Fernando | 9 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 3.67 | |
| Janidu Abegoonawardena | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1.50 | |
| Charuka Peiris | 6 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 3.67 | |
| RAYAN FERNANDO | 11 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 1.36 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senadhi Bulankulama | c Sineth Jayawardena b Dan Poddiwela | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| Janidu Abegoonawardena | c Uvindu Weerasekara b Gishan Balasuriya | 7 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 18.42 |
| Dineth Gunawardena | b Gishan Balasuriya | 1 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 2.33 |
| RAYAN FERNANDO | c Sadisha Rajapaksha b Gishan Balasuriya | 74 | 117 | 10 | 0 | 63.25 |
| MUIZZ NAUSHAN | lbw b Sadisha Rajapaksha | 11 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 15.49 |
| Senesh Hettiarachchi | c Sandesh Ramanayaka b Sadisha Rajapaksha | 26 | 65 | 2 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Mahith Perera | not out | 8 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 34.78 |
| Gunaratnam Caniston | not out | 11 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 64.71 |
| Extras | 2 (b 0 , lb 1 , nb 0, w 1, pen 0) |
| Total | 142/6 (64 Overs, RR: 2.22) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Poddiwela | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0.75 | |
| Sandesh Ramanayaka | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Bulan Weerathunga | 4 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 4.25 | |
| Sadisha Rajapaksha | 18 | 7 | 30 | 2 | 1.67 | |
| Gishan Balasuriya | 20 | 5 | 56 | 3 | 2.80 | |
| Ramiru Perera | 13 | 2 | 32 | 0 | 2.46 | |
| Dasis Manchanayake | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1.50 | |
