Here are a few key highlights from a wide range of schools cricket encounters played throughout the island. Let’s take a look at some of the under-19 traditional and tournament games. S. Thomas College Mt. Lavinia, Ananda College Colombo, and St. Aloysius’ College Galle bagged major honours – all in three drawn games.
On a concerning note, the match between Trinity College Kandy and De Mazenod College Kandana was abandoned due to altered pitch conditions at Asgiriya.
STC vs. Ananda: Halangoda-Atapattu Trophy
S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia hosted Ananda College Colombo in their traditional encounter at the Big Club Grounds.
The match ended in a tame draw with the Thomians retaining the trophy (played for the fifth time) as they laid their hands on the silverware in 2020.
The visitors Ananda managed only 172 runs in their first innings reply, with the Mount lads posting a commanding 301. Thomian Kavindu Dias was the pick of the stars as he scalped 5 wickets.
Brief scores:
S. Thomas’ 301/9d (79.3) Nathan Caldera 68, Kavindu Dias 50*, Thisen Eheliyagoda 41, Sadev Soysa 38, Kaveesha Mendis 4/79, Ashinsa Nainayake 3/51, Kithma Withanapathirana 2/64
Ananda 172 (62.1) Danindu Sellaperuma 77, Kenul De Zoysa 32, Kavindu Dias 5/25 and 173/5 (57) Kanchana De Livera 51, Iruth Gimshan 42, Ashen Perera 2/5, Anshen De Silva 2/33
Result – Match drawn
Zahira vs. St. Aloysius’
At Maradana, the hosts had a tormenting time as the visiting Aloysians put a well-composed total of 351 with their skipper Charya Paranawithana top-scoring 133, where he hammered 24 boundaries, helping his team to gain first innings points in this tournament game. Kavindu Kesara took a fifer for St. Aloysius’.
Brief scores:
Zahira 271 (80) Abdul Rahuman 91, Thabith Rizficar 60, Roshan Careem 36, Vidura Lakshan 4/71, Hasitha Suranga 3/53 and 149/8 (53) Abdul Rahuman 57, Kavindu Kesara 5/37, Oshada Devinda 2/49
St. Aloysius’ 351/9d (67.2) Charya Paranawithana 133, Vidura Lakshan 71, Hasitha Suranga 44, Kavindu Kesara 30, Mohamed Aqeel 4/89, Abdul Rahuman 2/38
Result – Match drawn
Wesley vs. Nalanda
At Campbell Park, Sadew Samarasinghe mastered the batting as Nalanda College secured first innings points in their traditional/tournament encounter against Wesley College in the Borella Derby, which runs back to the 1930s. Batting first, the double-blues posted 265, with last year’s skipper Linal Subasinghe falling short of a century. The maroons put on 298 in reply.
Brief scores:
Wesley 265 (82.2) Linal Subasinghe 85, Anuga Pahansara 43, Rukshan Tharanga 36, Sanithu Amarasinghe 28, Minod Caldera 4/54, Lisara Wijerathne 2/56 and 191/5 (44) Brendon Fernando 74, Anuga Pahansara 45, Hasith Rathnayake 4/69
Nalanda 298 (68.3) Sadew Samarasinghe 106, Hasith Rathnayake 47, Manupa Manmitha 45, Nilupul Liyanage 4/44, Shakesh Minon 3/65
Result – Match drawn
Trinity vs. De Mazenod
Brief scores:
De Mazenod 64 (25.1) Uvindu Perera 15, Thisal Yapa 4/13, Malith Rathnayake 3/9, Tharana Wimaladharma 3/34 and 101/9 (34) Neshan Dias 33, Malith Rathnayake 4/36
Trinity 70 (30.1) Viduka Dhammage 22, Dinidu Sasmith 5/11, Kavindu Kaushalya 3/25 Result – Match abandoned due to altered pitch conditions