A week ago S.Thomas’ College succumbed to a shock defeat at the hands of Royal College in the 137th Battle of the Blues; pressure was on them a week later to prove their worth at the 41st Mustangs Trophy.
“To be honest after the ‘Big Match’ we were down, but I didn’t let them put their heads down and I told them lets go and play our game and lets prove them we are the best,” S.Thomas’ captain Sachitha Jayathilake described the atmosphere post Battle of the Blues.
After losing the toss the pressure was added even more on the Thomians get Royal all out for a low score.
Two bowlers stepped up to the task. One an experienced wily chinaman and the other a 15 year old with immense talent.
Royal had got to a good start courtesy, Ronuka Jayawardena who was hitting fours at will. Jayathilaka introduces the 15 year old Dineth Kannangara, who picked a match bag of 5 wickets at the ‘Mini Battle.’ He was one of the three changes that the Thomians had done to the line-up.
Success straightway as Kannangara’s loop enticed, ‘Big Match’ hero for Royal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara into a false stroke and was brilliantly taken one-handed at slip by Ravindu Kodituwakku.
Few overs later, he would dismiss the threatening Jayawardena with bounce and grip off the surface. Then another edge to slip, Kannangara picks Thiran Danapala for three, who had scored over thousand runs for Royal this season.
At 77 for 4 the unheralded Dineth Kannangara had rocked the Royal middle order.
“Great feeling to pick up those big top order wickets. I was just doing my basics. As an off spinner there are basics you need to know and because I bowled it slower I got purchase from the wicket,” the youngster added who has the thinking of a veteran.
Kannangara would later come on again to take the prized wicket of Royal captain Geeshath Panditharatne, caught and bowled, who was looking to open up after reaching his half century.
“Really happy with my performance; even though I didn’t get to play the Big Match I proved that I am one of the key bowlers. Credit goes to my coaches who moulded me. I am hoping to play the big match next year,” Kannangara exclaimed, who finished with 4 for 34 in his ten overs.
When Royal were 77 for 4, another ‘Big Match’ hero Malith Kariyawasam joined Panditharatne as they put on 64 runs in 78 balls taking back the advantage back to Royal.
‘Podi Sachcha’ rampage gives S.Thomas’ Mustangs hat-trick
S.Thomas’ needed a much more experienced and aggressive bowler to break the partnership. In comes Ravindu Tilakaratne who bowls Kariyawasam (30) around his legs with a chinaman’s dream delivery.
He would dazzle the batsman with his unplayable googly and variation. Ganith Sandeepa was foxed and was stumped for 9. Helitha Vithanage after getting a six tried to clobber one too many and was bowled. Himesh Ramanayake top edged a sweep and Duvindu Hettiarchchi was again bowled; all acknowledged with his customary run, jump and punch the air celebration.
In no time Tilakaratne had demolished the Royal middle and lower order to restrict them for 210. He finished with figures of 5 for 36 in 9.2 overs. The third time in the history of the Mustangs’ Trophy that a bowler has taken a 5-wicket haul and that too after three decades.
“Tilakaratne bowled really well to take the five wickets and when he came onto bat as well he scored 10-15 runs in quick time and at that time it was crucial,” coach Dinesh Kumarasinghe added.
The pressure though subsided, still lingered as S.Thomas’ had never won chasing under floodlights. The last two times the Mustangs Trophy was played under lights, in 2003 and 2004, their batting crumbled nowhere close to a 200, as Royal posted huge wins.
With the destructive Rashmika Opatha out early, it looked even more difficult.
“Opatha got out there was some pressure added. Royal bowlers bowled well to a tight line and length and they fielded well so more pressure was added in the middle part of the game,” Kumarasinghe added how Royal tightened the screws.
At 99 for 4 in the 30th over another 15 year old, Sithara Hapuhinna joins his captain with all to do as S.Thomas’ still needed 112 in 120 deliveries.
“Initial the plan was to take singles and build the inning and hereafter to go for the big shots. Confidence was there with me about going for the big shots,” Hapuhinna mentioned as the pair steadily accumulated the runs building a partnership of 53 off 58 balls.
Jayathilake took the charge as he stroked a pleasing four and belted two monster sixes off Ganith Sandeepa. Jayathilake has 34 in 31 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes, but disaster strikes; miscommunication going for a second run has Jayathilake run out and Royal as firm favourites to win.
“The run out hit hard on me because of it we could have gone onto lose the match. When you run your captain out, that feeling you cannot put it into words,” Hapuhinna added after the match.
A visibly distraught Hapuhinna almost ran himself out the very next ball.
A message from the dressing room and calming words from Tilakaratne from the other end brings back the youngster onto the right track.
“Message from the camp was to play until the end. The way I played since then I am proud of it,” a gleaming Hapuhinna added, who scored 78 in 56 balls a couple of weeks prior at the ‘Mini Battle.’
“Message was for him to play Sachitha’s role, simple as that,” Kumarasinghe enlightened what the simple plan was.
“I was going to play until the 50th but unfortunately I got run out but I knew that the youngster Sithara Hapuhinna will finish the game for me and he told me he will definitely do it,” Jayathilake mentioned, who had faith in the destructive left hander.
The youngster regrouped, to switch into ‘Jayathilaka mode’ as he went on a mission to lay waste on the Royal bowlers.
He got two fours, a Jayasuriya-esque cut shot over point and a lofted drive over mid-on, off the destroyer of S.Thomas’ at the Battle of the Blues, Himesh Ramanayake, as five wides in the same over turned the game in the Thomians favour.
The very next over (43rd) Hapuhinna and Tilakaratne scored 15 runs off Duvindu Hettiarachchi, with Tilakaratne scoring a boundary and Hapuhinna hooked a four to the leg-side and plunked a huge six over long-on.
Sandeepa managed to get the wicket of Tilakaratne but Royal were at Hapuhinna’s mercy as he pulled a six off Lasith Embuldeniya and a single later brought up the half century in 48 balls.
There was no celebration as he knew the task was still not over.
Hapuhinna paddle swept Sandeepa and another boundary tied the game. He scored the winning runs with another massive six from a slog-sweep as his teammates converge on him.
Amidst getting mobbed by his teammates he sees his captain and scurries to embrace him, somehow wrapping his hands around the big man. He had kept his promise and had taken S.Thomas’ over the finish line.
“In the mini battle these boys played really well to win it. So I wanted to give more exposure to these U15 guys to take them into next year. They are talented and they proved it,” a satisfied Kumarasinghe mentioned.
“The youngster along with Tilakaratne played brilliantly. They have another 4 more years and there is a good future for S.Thomas’ cricket and I’m proud of it as a captain,” a jubilant Jayathilake finally added.
