Trinity College Kandy edged out St. Joseph’s College by two runs in a thrilling first innings battle as their inter school under 19 cricket tournament match pitted into a draw at the Asgiriya Stadium today.
The Trinitians really struggled to overtake their opponents modest first innings total of 221 runs and they were eventually dismissed for 223 runs largely due to two superb half centuries from Ron Chandraguptha and Chatura Jayasundera.
Both played a splendid innings from the start and Trinity College were cruising along smoothly towards a big first innings total at one stage in an attempt to force another outright victory.
However after their dismissal Trinity College found run making somewhat difficult and the pressure was mounting on their late order batsmen following some inspired bowling from the Josephian pair of Fabian Fernando (3 for 41) and Hashan Perera (3 for 61).
The two fast bowlers came back strongly during the latter stages of the innings as they did well to convert their modest first innings total into a formidable one at the end.
The turning point for St. Joseph’s College no doubt was the dismissal of senior player Ron Chandraguptha who looked very much in control of the situation until then having figured in a superb partnership as well along with Chatura Jayasundera.
Earlier St. Joseph’s College rallied around through their top order batsmen to post a healthy total of 221 runs in their first innings against a quality bowling attack.
Opener Duran de Alwis and Kalpana Ravihara both had the satisfaction of completing two fighting half centuries with Hasinda Perera (48) missing out a fifty by a mera two runs.
The bowling honours once again went to Trinity’s main strike bowler Ravin Sayer who picked up another five wicket haul supported well by Mohamed Amreez.
St. Joseph’s College: 221 (Duran de Alwis 50, Kalpana Ravihara 69, Hasinda Perera 48, Mohamed Amreez 3 for 42, Ravin Sayer 5 for 82) and 78 for 3 (Chatura de Alwis 25, Ravin Sayer 2 for 31)
Trinity College: 223 (Madawa Munaweera 41, Ron Chandraguptha 67, Chatura Jayasundera 51, Fabian Fernando 3 for 41, Hashan Perera 3 for 61)
