Chris Dhambarage
COLOMB:OSkipper Sineth Jayawardena struck an unbeaten half century to help Royal College reach 160 for four wickets at tea on the second day of the 145th Battle of the Blues Inter-School Big Match against the traditional rivals S. Thomas’ College at the SSC Grounds in Maitland Place today.
The Sri Lanka Under-19 Captain held on determinedly to score an unbeaten 89 from 162 balls inclusive of 13 boundaries as Royal went into the break still trailing by 137 runs.
Jayawardena came into the crease at a vital stage of the innings when his team was struggling after they had lost both openers for the addition of just two runs inside the first couple of overs.
But he dropped anchor at one end and rescued his team with a third-wicket stand of 125 runs along with his partner Ovina Ambanpola, who frustrated the Thomian bowlers for 160 balls stroking 36 with five boundaries.
However, the Thomians came back into the game with two quick wickets as Ambanpola was deceived by Ashen Perera while Yasindu Dissanayake was beaten by a Darien Diego delivery to leave Royal at 130 for four.
Ramiru Perera joined his captain and the pair batted sensibly until the break with an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 30 runs.
SCOREBOARD
S. Thomas’ 1st innings 297
Royal 1st innings
Isula Geeganage lbw b Perera 00
Rehan Peris b Fernando 01
Sineth Jayawardena not out 89
Ovina Ambanpola c and b Perera 36
Yasindu Dissanayake b Diego 01
Ramiru Perera not out 22
Extras: (w1, lb1, nb3, b6) 11
Total: (For 4 wickets in 62 overs) 160
Fall: 1-1, 2-2, 3-127, 4-130
BOWLING: Akash Fernando 6-3-16-1, Ashen Perera 18-7-33-2, Nathan Caldera 11-3-31-0, Kavindu Dias 7-0-20-0, Abheeth Paranawidana 7-1-20-0, Darien Diego 11-1-19-1, Dineth Gunawardena 2-0-14-0
