After a exciting 1st day of play between St Thomas’ College and St Peter’s College, day 2 commenced at the big club grounds today with the home side 116 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. Early on the day the Peterites were bundled out for 197 runs thanks to brilliant bowling performance by Thomian skipper Sachitha Jayathilaka.
Peterites made some vital breakthroughs early on the day with Vinu Mohotty completing yet another five wicket haul when he took the wicket of Sithira Hapuhinna for 10 runs. Yohan Mendis lost his wicket shortly afterwards leaving the home side struggling at 138 for 6. Then came the skipper Sachitha Jayathilaka who steadied the ship through quick fire 32 before he was caught in the deep to the bowling of Sadish Pathiranage. He left the crease when his team was 173, 24 runs behind the Peterites first innings score. Romesh Nallapperuma and the experianced Ravidu Thilakaratne took the team over the line half an hour before lunch. The home side declared the innings at 205 for the loss of 9 wickets with a lead of 8 runs. Vinu Mohotti with figures of 5 for 68 while Sadish and Taneesha took 2 scalps each.
PHOTO ALBUM DAY 2 – St.Peter’s College v S. Thomas’ College
Peterites had to bat for about 20 minutes before lunch which they did without losing any wickets. Inesh Fernando and Anishka Perera put up 48 runs before Anishka Perera was dismissed for 12 runs. Inesh got to 50 in quick time before he was sent back to the pavilion by Thomian skipper Sachitha Jayathilaka. It was up to the experienced pair Hashan Wanasekara and Lakshina Rodrigo to get them through the day. Hashan showed some resilience before he was sent to the pavilion by speedster Senal De Sillva. Manelka and Ranmith fell shortly afterwards leaving the visitors at 135 for 5.
Last year’s skipper Chandula Jayamanne looked good for some time before he gave away his wicket to Ravindu Thilakaratne. Ravindu decimated the tail finishing with figures of 4 for 64 runs. Lakshina Rodrigo was the lone survivor for the Peterites with classy innings of 73 runs. Debutant, Keshara Wijeratne took the wicket of Lakshina bundling out the visitors for 194 runs. S Thomas’ was given a target of 187 in the final hour.
Rashmika Opatha and Sithira Hapuhinna opened the batting for the home side in the second innings. The Thomiansmade their intentions clear with both batsmen going hard at the bowling. Their highest run scorer this season Rashmika Opatha made amends for his soft dismissal in the first innings with a blistering 30 runs. Hapuhinna fell shortly afterwards for 10 runs leaving the home side cruising at 63 for 2 in 5 overs. Sachitha Jayathilaka coming in at first drop tried to dominate the bowling just like he did in the first innings and wicketkeeper batsman Dilendra Gunathilaka got out without troubling the score. Kavindu Kodithuwakku tried to acclerate but he too was dismissed by Chandula Jayamanne.
Sachitha Jayathilaka lost his wicket to Vinu Mohotti after scoring a quick fire 29. At stumps the home side was 93 for the loss of 5 wickets. A good outcome for the Thomians against the strong Peterites, this first innings victory made sure they steal the top spot in group D from St Peter’s College.
