Vice-captain Kavinda Madarasinghe who is expected to lead Royal College next season came to his school’s rescue with an unbeaten knock of 58 off 86 balls (9 fours) to force a draw against traditional rivals S. Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia in the 139th Battle of the Blues encounter that ended at the SSC grounds yesterday.
The draw meant that Royal the current holders retain the DS Senanayake Shield for another year.
Royal set a target of 216 to chase in 48 overs survived the left-arm spin of Thomian skipper Dellon Peiris to finish on 143 for six wickets after being reduced to 60-5 at one stage.
 Kavindu Madarasinghe of Royal College receiving the Man of the Match award from Rev. Marc Bilimoria, Warden, S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia. |
Madarasinghe who came into the crease as the one drop batsmen made a patient half century to defy the Thomian bowlers. He was involved in two match saving partnerships of 56 runs for the sixth wicket with burly right hander Thevindu Senaratne (who scored 24 off 43 balls) and an unbroken 27-run stand with right hander Manula Perera (9 not out off 40 balls) that saved the day for Royal.
Royal lost their first wicket at 27 when left-arm pacie Kalana Perera clean bowled left handed opener Gayan Dissanayake for 9.
When the score was at 29, left arm spinner Pavith Ratnayake got rid of the opener right hander Bhagya Dissanayake for 18 with the ball of the match. The ball pitched on leg stump and spun right across the batsman to take his off stump.
Madarasinghe added 26 runs with left hander Kamil Mishara the Sri Lanka under 19 poolist but with the score at 55 Dellon went through the defences of Mishara to bowl him for 22.
Within a couple of balls at the same score Dellon took the prize wicket of Royal skipper Pasindu Sooriabandara caught at first slip by Munasinghe for a duck.
Munasinghe added salt to the wound of the Royalists when he cleaned bowled left hander Kavindu Pathiratne for 1 as Royal slid to 60 for 5.
Dellon came back to make a crucial breakthrough when he trapped Senaratne lbw for 24 to break a threatening sixth wicket partnership of 56 with Madarasinghe to make Royal 116-6.
The morning session of day three saw S. Thomas’ resuming at their overnight score of 3 for no loss and adding a further 104 runs before overnight batsman Shalin de Mel was run out by sub fielder Kaushal Kulasuriya for a well compiled 58 and ending a partnership of 107 for the opening wicket with vice captain Dulith Gunaratne.
At 150 Gunaratne was caught at deep mid wicket for a patient 59 by Senaratne when he attempted to hook Lahiru Madusanka.
Left hander Sithara Hapuhinna joined by Manthila Wijeratne put on another valuable partnership of 39 runs for the third wicket before Wijeratne was caught at the boundary line by Pathiratne off left arm spinner Manula Perera for 19.
Hapuhinna who raced to 47 off 42 balls was the fourth Thomian wicket to fall at 195 when he was brilliantly run out by a direct throw from Sooriabandara.
They also lost Kalana Perera at 207 when he was holed out to mid wicket for 10 and Maneesha Rupasinghe also for 10 caught in the deep before the declaration at 227-6.
Thomians Shalin de Mel was adjudged the best fielder and Dulith Gunaratne best batsman while Manula Perera of Royal received the best bowler’s award. The man of the match award went to Kavindu Madarasinghe. The Dialog challenge trophy was jointly shared by Royal and S. Thomas’ as the match ended in a draw.
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