Nimnaka spins St. Anthony’s to innings victory
Fifteen-year-old left arm spinner Nimnaka Jayatilleke produced a yet another impressive bowling spell, claiming 13 for 88 runs to guide St. Anthony's College, Kandy to an innings and 13- run win over Wesley in their U- 19 cricket match concluded at Campbell Park yesterday. In his first match with the senior side, he picked up ten wickets ag a i n s t S t . S e b a s t i a n’s Kat u n e r i ya . The Antonians were home for tea as Nimnaka ran through the Wesley batting. He returned magical figures of 9 for 48 in the second inning to rattle the home side in pursuit of 125 runs to avoid an innings defeat for a score of just 112 runs.
Earlier in the day St. Anthony’s in reply to Wesley’s first innings score of 140 resuming from their overnight score of 199 for 5 going in for quick runs made 265 which came on the back of two half-tons from Navodya Wijekumara (63), Kalhara Senaratne ( 52) and Theeksha Gunasinghe (50).
S. Thomas’ thanks to left-arm spinner Dellon Peiris who had the honour of claiming the first hat- trick of the inter- school cricket season and Kalana Perera was in line to record an early win against Dharmapala Pannipitiya at Mt. Lavinia.
Kalana and Dellon combined to share 16 of the 17 wickets to fall i n the two i nnings of Dharmapala so far. Kalana ended with a five wicket haul while Dellon b a g g ed f our in Dharmapala’s first innings to bowl them out for 115.
Dharmapala made to follow on with a deficit of 146 runs to avoid an innings defeat was struggling at 67 for 7 in the second session of play on day two with Dellon and Kalana doing the damage.
Maris Stella dominated proceedings against St. Peter’s in the match played at Kadirana. The opening day’s play saw Maris Stella after making a score of 191, restricting St. Peter’s to a score of 111 runs and ending day one on 16 for 0.
Maris Stella resuming their innings on day two went on to make 146 for 5 declared setting a run chase of 246 runs for St. Peter’s with two sessions of play left.
St. Servatius Matara helped by two solid knocks by Pushpitha Dilshan and Risira Lakwin made a bold reply of 222 for 2 in reply to Zahira’s score of 293 in the match played at Zahira ground in Maradana.
Mahinda has already taken a first inning lead over Royal in the match played at Reid Avenue with Mahinda making a formidable score of 258 for 8 declared and restrict the home team to a score of 209.