Lumbini record historic ten wickets win over Ananda

by Reemus Fernando

Lumbini commenced the tournament proper with a historic ten wickets victory over schools cricket stronghold Ananda as Praveen Maneesha and Sahan Kaushalya excelled in the bowling department in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ match which ended with a session to spare at Ananda Mawatha on Friday.

Maneesha took the last three wickets to wrap up the Ananda first innings for the addition of just ten runs to the overnight total. The leg-spinner’s seven wicket haul was the key to enforcing the follow on. The home team then did better in the second innings but managed only to avoid an innings defeat.

Skipper and off-spinner Sahan Kaushalya came up with a five-wicket haul to contain Ananda second innings to 173 runs which left them with a target of just four runs to chase.

It is the first time that Lumbini had beaten Ananda according to Lumbini College coach Dinesh Weerasinghe. Ananda and Lumbini are not traditional rivals and they meet only when they are pitted against each other in the Under 19 tournament.

The most recent encounter between the two schools prior to this two-day match was the limited overs encounter in the Tier ‘B’ tournament in November. Lumbini turned tables on Ananda and went on to share the title with Thurstan in the final.

Friday’s two-day tournament victory will now help Lumbini take an early lead in Group ‘X’ of the Division I Tier ‘B’ tournament. Meanwhile, in a traditional Under 19 cricket encounter which commenced at Kotahena, S. Thomas’ amassed 353 for three wickets declared against St. Benedict’s as Dineth Goonewardene and Mahith Perera put on an unfinished fourth wicket stand of 306 runs.

While Goonewardene made 150 not out in 184 balls (15x4s, 5x6s), Perera scored less than a run a ball 151 (in 147 balls, 16x4s, 3x6s).In their essay, the home team were 47 for one wicket at stumps.

Results

Lumbini record ten wickets win at Ananda Mawatha

Scores:

Lumbini 297 all out in 57.2 overs (Bimsara Weerasinghe 93, Dinitha Prabanka 64, Ashan Shanilka 25, Gihan Lakshitha 31; Ashinsa Nainayake 3/52, Yasandu Kiriella 4/54) and

Ananda 117 for 7 overnight 127 all out in 50 overs (Nethula Edirimanne 35, Mihin Munasinghe 23; Ushan Sathsara 2/43, Praveen Maneesha 7/39) and 173 all out in 50.4 overs (Kanchana De Liver 38, Kenul de Zoysa 26; Ushan Sathsara 3/20, Sahan Kaushalya 5/28, Praveen Maneesha 2/63)

Thomian pair put on big fourth wicket partnership at Kotahena

Scores

S. Thomas’ 353 for 3 decl. in 69.1 overs (Senadhi Bulankulame 25, Dineth Goonewardene 150n.o., Mahith Perera 151n.o.; Mevan Dissanayake 2/112)

St. Benedict’s 47 for 1 in 20 overs (Nethan Fernando 24)