Nalanda College retained the P de S Kularatne Challenge Trophy after the heavens opened and completely washed out the second half of the 46th Battle of the Maroons one day encounter against Ananda College Colombo at the SSC yesterday. 

Ananda College skipper Nethma Samaraweera won the toss and elected to field first. Nalandians got off to a fiery start with Yasiru Samarakoon hitting a couple of boundaries inside the first five overs. However, an error in judgment between the two openers cost Samarakoon’s wicket for Nalanda.

However, in-form Rusiru Vilochana and Sadew Samarasinghe made sure not to panic as the pair added 56 runs for the second wicket. Vilochana was the chief destroyer, but unfortunately missed out on a half century. 

Samarasinghe too perished after getting a start, as Ananda kept a lid on the scoring with wickets in consistent intervals. Kushmitha Silva was a big wicket for the Amandians as he looked most threatening with the bat. 

Despite the fall of wickets, the Nalandians had enough contributions from the bat until the very end. Cameos from skipper Chanul Athukorala, Senesh Wijesinghe, Sajitha Vithanage and Minod Caldera helped them reach 252 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs. 

With the ball for Ananda College, Ayesh Sashimal was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 39. 

Brief Scores 

Ananda College 252 for 8 (50)

Rusiru Vilochana 46, Kushmitha Silva 41, Sadew Samarasinghe 33, Ayesh Sashimal 2/39, Isuru Ayesh 1/28 

Caption

Pradeep De Almeida, Group Chief Technology Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC, handing over the P de S Kularatne Trophy to (L) Chanul Athukorale, Captain of Nalanda College Colombo and Nethma Samaraweera, Captain of Ananda College Colombo.

Also in the photograph (from left) Joint Committee Chairman – Battle of the Maroons (Nalanda College Colombo) Varuna Ratnaweera, Colombo Textile (Perri Allan) Managing Director R.P.S. Samarakoddy, Sampath Bank PLC DGM, Operations and Branch Banking Deepal De Silva (partially covered), Ananda College Colombo Principal  Lal Dissanayake (partially covered), Nalanda College Colombo Principal Thilak Wattuhewa, and Joint Committee Chairman – Battle of the Maroons (Ananda College Colombo) Bimal Wijayasinghe.