The final fixture of the Singer Under 17 Division one pre quarter final was worked out between St Anthony’s College and Ananda College in Kandy this morning. The Anandians elected to bat first after winning the crucial toss.
The lads from Colombo had a solid start to their innings, thanks to a valuable knock by Kanishka Ranthilakage who stabilized the Anandian ship in the initial overs. Ranthilakage eventually fell for a well deserved 45. Ananda College lost 2 back to back wickets in the crucial middle overs of the innings as left arm china-man Nimanaka Jayathilaka proved to be quite dangerous with the ball.
A composed Wijebandara and Jayawardena walked in and established a crucial 5th wicket partnership to take the Anandians past the two hundred run mark. St. Anthony’s pace bowler Sasith Hirundika had other plans as he ripped through the Anandian tail with some genuine pace, eventually bowling them out for 244 in the penultimate over of the innings.
Vinuja Wijebandara was Ananda College’s top run scorer after he fell four runs short of a hundred. Sasith Hirundika was the most effective Anthonian bowler ending with figures of 3/44.
Chasing a target of 245 St. Anthony’s College were off to a blistering start scoring at over seven runs an over. The Anthonians were 69 for the loss of one wicket by the end of the first power play with Dayan Pankaja not out on 40.
Pankaja fell shortly for a well-made 55, but Prabath Sachin took over from Pankaja as St. Anthony’s continued the flurry of runs maintaining the asking rate .The 25th over saw the Anthonians on 140 runs for the loss of two wickets. Ananda College weren’t the only culprits who lost their way in the middle overs as the Anthonians continued in the same manner losing four wickets at regular intervals. St Anthony’s College were trailing by 48 runs by the 41st over with four wickets in hand.
Lasitha Werellage walked into the crease with the responsibility of taking St. Anthony’s College home playing a pivotal role made sure the Anthonians crossed the line with two wickets to spare in the final over of the innings. Werellage was unbeaten on 45*.
St. Anthony’s College Kandy will now face Mahinda College, Galle, in the quarter-finals.
Brief scores
Ananda College, Colombo 244 (49.1 overs) Kanishka Ranthilakage 45, Vinuja Wijebandara 96, Janindu Jayawardana 35, Savindu Bandara 24, Sasith Hirudika 3/44, Nimnaka Jayathilaka 2/30, Chamindu Wickramasinghe 2/51, Tharindu Hewage 2/38
St. Anthony’s College, Kandy 247/8 (49.4 overs) Dayan Pankaja 55, Prabath Sachin 72, Lasitha Werellage 45*, Kanishka Ranthilakage 3/43, Janindu Jayawardana 2/37
Result – St. Anthony’s College beat Ananda College and qualify to the quarter-finals.
