14.3.2008
Dinesh Weerawansa
Number
nine batsman Dinesh Walpita and last man Nilshan Fernando
shared a fighting tenth wicket partnership as S. Thomas
managed to avert the follow on the second day of their
129th Battle of the Blues three-day cricket encounter
continued at SSC grounds, Colombo yesterday.
Royal’s leg spinner Haroon Mowjood (2 for 31) who
wrecked the Thomian batting along with medium pacer Banuka
Rajapakse (3 for 27) in action. Pix by Thilak Perera
Royal
declared their first innings at the overnight total of
300 for 9, during which No. 7 batsman Charith Fernando
played a champion innings of 137. In reply, S. Thomas’
made 181 for 9 when bad light brought a premature end
at 3.35 p.m.
Royal
captain Dilan Nanayakkara decided to make use of the early
morning advantage for quick bowlers without exposing his
last pair of Yasith Abeykoon and Maneesha Thanthirigoda.
That brought instant results as Royal’s day one
hero Charith Fernando proved his class as a bowler too.
If
Thomians had any early hopes of going past the healthy
Royal total, those were destroyed in a vicious manner
as Fernando removed the most prolific run-getter in the
Thomian side - Fahim Saleem. The fresher who came to the
big ‘un with a rich aggregate of over 950 runs,
faced four balls before he was caught by Kusal Perera
in the very first over of the day by Fernando.
Then
came the most productive partnership of the Thomian innings
as opener Jehan Thahir (33 off 91 balls) and Ashan Fernando
(32 off 82 balls) shared an inspiring 82-run stand for
the second wicket. With the Thomian total reading 82 for
1 at one stage, it looked as if the match was heading
for a tall scoring draw.
But
Royal came back to the picture strongly just 30 minutes
to go for lunch as the Thomians lost three wickets in
quick succession to struggle at 88 for 4.
It
was medium paceman Bhanuka Rajapaksa who was instrumental
in the downfall of the Thomian innings as the Mount Lavinia
boys lost three wickets within the space of six runs.
Thahir’s
91-ball patient knock of 33 came to an end when he was
bowled by Banuka Rajapaksa, who also removed Raveenthirarajh
Nirrushan for three. Rajapaksa accounted for his third
successive wicket when he took a return catch to dismiss
Thilina Nugawela for a two-ball ‘duck’.
Royal
added salt to Thomian injuries by getting rid of one drop
bat Ashan Fernando who was going well at the other end
during Rajapaksa’s high drama. This time it was
former captain and spinner Haroon Mowjood who trapped
Fernando leg before for 33 as Thomians took lunch at a
hopeless 104 for 5 off 37.2 overs.
The
lunch interval could not add confidence to the Thomian
camp as they lost two quick wickets to slump to 121 for
7. Royal bowlers continued their good work and tightened
the screws on the Thomian first essay - 141 for 9.
At
this stage, the Thomians still needed nine runs to avert
follow on with the last man in and it looked as if Royal
could head for an early win on Saturday, just what their
opponents did last year. But then came that stubborn 40
run unfinished last wicket partnership between No.9 bat
Dinesh Walpita (24 n.o) and Nilshan Fernando (12 n.o)
who saved the Thomians from disgrace.
Walpita
played a gallant innings, facing 102 balls for his 24
as the pair survived for 78 minutes before the weather
Gods came to the Thomians’ rescue. Extras ended
up as the highest scorer of the Thomians innings - 34,
made up of eight byes, 12 leg byes, nine no balls and
five penalty runs.
Bad
light forced the teams to take early tea but the final
session could not be commenced as the light conditions
did not improve.
The
gloomy weather continued for the next session and umpires
D.R.P. Dinapurna and Jagath Nandakumar finally decided
to call off the second day’s play at 5.20 p.m. In
consultation with the two captains, the play commenced
half an hour early last morning and the same could be
expected at 9.30 a.m. today - the final day.
ROYAL
- 1st INNINGS 300 for 9 wickets decl.
(Charith Fernando 137, Kithruwan Vithanage 40, Yasith
Abeykoon 38 n.o,
Dinesh Walpita 3 for 46, Navid Ghany 2 for 67)
S.THOMAS’
- 1st INNINGS
Fahim Saleem c. K. Perera b. C. Fernando 0
Jehan Thahir b. Rajapaksa 33
Ashan Fernando lbw b. Mowjood 32
Raveenthirarajh Nirrushan c. N’kara b. Rajapaksa
03
Thilina Nugawela c & b. Rajapaksa 0
Viswa Weerawardene c & b. Mowjood 19
Navid Ghany c & b. Boteju 15
Ruchira de Silva c. Bogoda b. Boteju 0
Dinesh Walpita not out 24
Milan Fernando c. Perera b. C.Fernando 9
Nilshan Fernando not out 12
EXTRAS:
34
TOTAL: for 9 wickets at close 181
Batting
Time: 319 mts, 81 overs
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Saleem), 2-82-(Thahir), 3-88 (Nirrushan),
4-88 (Nugawela), 5-104 (A.Fernando), 6-121 (Ghany),
7-121 (De Silva), 8-131 (Weerawardena), 9-141 (Milan Fernando)
Bowling: (to date) Fernando 13-3-40-2; Abeykoon 4-2-8-0;
Rajapakse 14-3-27-3; Hettiarachchi 4-0-17-0; Thanthirigoda
9-6-6-0;
Mowjood 19-6-31-2; Boteju 14-7-17-2; Vithanage 1-0-4-0;
Nanayakkara 3-1-6-0.
Courtesy
Daily News