Nalanda College captain Avishka Perera and Ananda College skipper Kanishka Ranthilakage receive the Dr. N M Perera Memorial Challenge Trophy from Supun Weerasinghe, Director/Chief Executive, Dialog Axiata PLC after the 91st encounter ended in a draw at the SSC.
 Ananda College’s savior Hansaja Jayasinghe goes down on his knees as he drives for runs during his plucky knock of 89 not out against Nalanda College at the SSC grounds yesterday. |
Nalanda College failed in their bid to break the 67-year-old hoodoo of beating traditional rivals Ananda College as their attempt was foiled by little known Hansaja Jayasinghe who scored a defiant 89 not out to force a draw in the 91st Battle of the Maroons cricket encounter concluded at the SSC grounds yesterday.
Jayasinghe’s 133-ball knock consisted of 11 fours and a six as Ananda forced to follow-on after being dismissed for 150 in their first innings closed on 225-7 in their second innings. Nalanda scored 307-4 declared.
Ananda who had lost half their side for 79 at the end of the first day, added only a further 71 runs for their last five wickets before they were dismissed, 157 runs in arrears with fast bowler Jithesh Wasala who caused their top order collapse capturing a further two wickets yesterday to finish with figures of 5 for 63.
Nethma Karunaratne was the only batsman to resist the pace of Wasala scoring 59 off 131 balls inclusive of eight fours.
Nalanda did not hesitate to enforce the follow-on and were soon in trouble losing four wickets for 76 when Dasun Tharuka joined Jayasinghe and they set about defying the Nalanda bowling to stitch together a partnership of 111 for the fifth wicket.
Tharuka’s contribution was only 29 but it proved invaluable in the circumstances. However following his dismissal Nalanda captured two quick wickets but time was not on their side to force a win.
Wasala failed to repeat his first innings bowling performance in the second although he got the initial breakthrough for Nalanda by dismissing Anuda Jayaweera for six. It was left to Avishka Perera and Raveen de Silva with two wickets apiece to break into the Ananda defence. De Silva with four wickets in the match to go with his knock of 100 not out for Nalanda was adjudged the Man of the Match.
Nalanda also won two other individual awards for Best Bowler – Jithesh Wasala and Best Fielder – Ranindu de Silva. The Best Batsman’s award went to Ananda’s Hansaja Jayasinghe. YK
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