Ganganath and Senevirathne shine as Isipatana earn major honours

59th Battle of Brothers Big Match

Isipatana earned major honours against their arch-rivals Thurstan as Randunu Ganganath with a top score of 99 runs and Yuneth Senevirathne with an unbeaten half-century excelled for them on day two of the 59th Battle of Brothers Big Match which ended in a draw at the SSC on Tuesday.

In reply to Thurstan’s 202 runs, Isipatana posted 297 for eight wickets declared as Ganganath, and Yuneth Senevirathne put on an eighth wicket stand of 129 runs.

Commencing from the overnight score of 31 for one wicket Isipatana lost four wickets before lunch but they managed to add 103 runs during the first session. Overnight batsman Yasith Kalupahana kept the scoreboard ticking with a half-century. He scored 56 runs inclusive of nine fours (in 98 balls) before being given leg before wicket to Thanuka Palihawadana.

Nipun Premaratne was the chief tormentor of Isipatana as he threatened to bowl them out for a low score. Premaratne completed a five-wicket haul either side of lunch and at one stage Isipatana were seven wickets down for 168 runs. That was when Ganganath was joined by number nine batsman Yuneth Seneviratne to guide them to safety.

Isipatana had a lead of 95 runs when Ganganath was stumped by Tharindu Harshana off the bowling of Thanuka Palihawadana just one run short of a century. Ganganath had faced 161 balls and scored six fours and a six in his knock. Seneviratne was unbeaten on 57 runs when Isipatana finally decided to declare their innings.

Thurstan in their second essay posted 25 runs for two wickets.