Diniru neutralizes Thomian pace attack as St. Servatius’ top 300 runs

Under 19 Cricket

By Reemus Fernando

Skipper Diniru Abeywickramasinghe came up with gem of an innings to hold St. Servatius’ batting together as he top scored with 141 runs to post 311 for seven wickets at close against S. Thomas’, on day one of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ tournament match at Mount Lavinia on Monday.

Put to bat, the boys from Matara were three wickets down for 39 runs at one stage but Abeywickramasinghe managed to neutralize the formidable pace battery of the home team as he built useful partnerships with the middle order to reach their eventual score.

First the number five batsman put on a 85 runs for the fourth wicket with Raveen Kavintha(41) before adding a vital fifth wicket stand of 102 runs with Chamarindu Nethsara (40).

His stand for the seventh wicket with Viran Chamuditha was worth 64 runs.

The captain’s knock which came in 163 balls was inclusive of 14 fours and three sixes.

The St. Servatius’ are the first visiting team to top three hundred runs on S. Thomas’ wicket which had seen teams batting first struggling for survival this season. Visiting teams have suffered massive defeats during the third term traditional fixtures.

The first two hours will be crucial for the batsmen on day two morning today.

S. Thomas’ and St. Servatius’ are competing in Group ‘Y’ of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ tournament, where, St. Joseph’s, Maliyadeva, St. Sebastian’s, Wesley, D.S. Senanayake, St. Anthony’s Kandy, Gurukula and Nalanda are the other teams.

Meanwhile, in another match of the same group, St. Sebastian’s reached 126 for six wickets at stumps in reply to Maliyadeva’s 200 runs at Moratuwa.

Match Scores

St. Servatius’ top 300 runs at Mount Lavinia

Scores:

St. Servatius’

311 for 7 in 83 overs (Risira Kithmura 21, Diniru Abeywickramasinghe 141, Raveen Kavintha 41, Chamarindu Nethsara 40, Viran Chamuditha 41n.o.; Abheeth Paranawidana 3/79, Ashen Perera 2/37)

Maliyadeva 200, St. Sebastian’s 126/6 at Moratuwa

Scores:

Maliyadewa

200 all out in 61.4 overs (Gayana Weerasinghe 88, Vinuka Galappaththi 46n.o., Thaveesha Balasooriya 24; Manuja Chanthuka 2/40, Malintha Silva 3/50, Nadeesh Fernando 2/25)

St. Sebastian’s

126 for 6 in 42 overs (Ushen Silva 21, Vimath Dinsara 60n.o., Janaka Silva 23; Gayana Weerasinghe 2/24, Thaveesha Balasooriya 4/27)