Chris Dhambarage
COLOMBO : S. Thomas’ College were 37 for one wicket at lunch on the third and final day of the 145th Battle of the Blues Inter-School Big match against the traditional rivals Royal College continued at the SSC Grounds in Maitland Place today.
The Thomians now have an overall lead of 56 runs with nine second innings wickets in hand, but the game seems to be heading towards a draw with only two sessions of play remaining.
Earlier, the Royal late order batsmen rallied around well to put some valuable runs on the board after having resumed their first innings at 234 for seven.
Nethwin Dharmaratne and Bulan Weerathunga frustrated the S. Thomas’ bowlers to a certain extent with the former making a painstaking 41 from 103 deliveries.
Opening bowler Ashen Perera added another wicket to his tally and ended with the best bowling figures of five for 74 in 34 overs.
SCOREBOARD
S. Thomas’ 1st innings 297
Royal 1st innings
Isula Geeganage lbw b Perera 00
Rehan Peris b Fernando 01
Sineth Jayawardena c and b Diego 92
Ovina Ambanpola c and b Perera 36
Yasindu Dissanayake b Diego 01
Ramiru Perera lbw b A. Perera 23
Dineth Senaratne c Soysa b A. Perera 33
Nethwin Dharmaratne c Soyza b Caldera 41
Bulan Weeratunga c and b A. Perera 16
Ranuka Malaviarachchi not out 09
Yenula Bandara not out 00
Extras: (b15, lb6, nb4, w1) 26
Total (For 9 wickets decl in 102.2 overs) 278
Fall: 1-1, 2-1, 3-127, 4-130, 5-164, 6-164, 7-233, 8-259, 9-277
Bowling: Akash Fernando 7-3-30-1, Ashen Perera 34-10-74-5, Nathan Caldera 21.2-6-45-1, Kavindu Dias 8-0-22-0, Abheeth Paranawidana 9-1-22-0, Darien Diego 20-4-40-2, Dineth Gunawardena 2-0-14-0, Mahith Perera 1-0-10-0
S. Thomas’ 2nd innings
Sadew Soyza not out 22
Senadhi Bulankulame c Dissanayake b Weerathunga 00
Dineth Gunawardena not out 11
Extras: (b4) 04
Total: (1 wicket at lunch in 14 overs) 37
Fall: 1-11
Bowling: Bulan Weerathunga 4-0-10-1, Dinura Senaratne 1-0-8-0, Sineth Jayawardena 6-0-11-0, Ranuka Malaviarachchi 3-0-4-0
