Hiran, Manula produce remarkable achievements

by Reemus Fernando

There were some remarkable achievements in Under 19 Schools cricket matches over the weekend. Of them, the feats of St. Joseph’s batsman Hiran Jayasundera and Trinity speedster Manula Kularatne stood out as they delivered their carrier best performances in a traditional encounter which showcased one of the best rearguard actions in the schools cricket arena this season.

The match between St. Joseph’s and Trinity is one of the oldest schools’ cricket matches in the country. The edition which unfolded at Darley Road last Friday and Saturday was the 113th encounter of the series. The home team received the shock of the season when they decided to bat first. Speedster Kularatne came up with an eight-wicket haul to rattle St. Joseph’s for 41 runs. It was Kularatne’s best bowling feat in Under 19 Division I cricket.

Trinity were then bowled out for 94 runs with Maanasa Madubashana and Dinuk Serasinghe sharing seven wickets between them.

In their second essay the Joes lost four wickets for 94 runs and were in danger of conceding a heavy defeat. That was when Hiran Jayasundera and Yenula Dewthusa combined to frustrate Trinity.

Hiran Jayasundera scored an unbeaten double century, his second double century following the achievement against Royal last year.

According to Joes’ officials he is the only batsman from his school to have paved the left scored two double centuries in more than hundred-year-old history.

His match saving knock included 23 fours and four sixes as he built an unbroken partnership of 285 runs with Dewthusa. Dewthusa remained unbeaten on 97 runs (in 278 balls, 6x4s, 1x6s). Jayasundera’s knock of 212 not out came in 348 balls. it was not the first time that these two players have combined to put on more than 200 runs.

In an Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ match St. Benedict’s pulled off an outright victory against St. Anne’s to stay aloft in their group and avoid relegation scares. The team from Kotahena were in the eighth place in their group in the Tier ‘A’ tournament. With the last four teams bound to play relegation matches the Bens needed an outright victory to improve their standings in the points table. A first innings century by Janindu Nandasena (103 in 142 balls, 12x4s, 3x6s), 96 runs in the second essay by Sharujan Shanmuganathan, notable contributions by Steve Arshan (55 and 44) and a match bag of ten wickets by left-arm spinner Mevan Dissanayake paved the way for Bens’ victory. The outright victory has elevated Bens to the sixth position in the points table.

Maliyadeva and St. Aloysius’ are among the other lowest placed teams to have recorded vital victories. However, Maliyadeva’s victory against St. Servatius’ could not elevate the team to a safe position in the points table. They are ranked ninth in the ten-team group. The last four teams in each group will have to play relegation matches where they need to win to avoid relegation.

St. Aloysius’ were in the last four teams in their group before they recorded six wickets victory over Ananda to improve their rankings. They are now in the fifth position while Ananda are ranked seventh in their group.

Off all the teams Holy Cross have made the most notable improvement as their three outright victories have helped them reach the fourth place in the points table in their group in the Tier ‘B’ tournament.