Lahiru and Manindra to the rescue

A masterly compiled fifth wicket partnership by Lahiru Samaranayake ( 50) and Manindra Jayatilleke (51) along with two notable bowling performances by Chamath Yatawara and Manindra Jayatilleke steered DS Senanayake College to a comfortable 137 run victory over Tissa Central College, Kalutara in a Schools' Under 17 knockout cricket tournament match played at the Irrigation Grounds, Ratmalana.

DSS were given a solid start by Chamath Yatawara (46) and skipper Teron Baskaran ( 24) putting on 66th runs for the first wicket. With the departure of the duo, two quick wickets fell with the score 113 for 4. When the Colombo school in a spot of bother off 27.2 overs, Samaranayake and Jayatilleke combination were engaged in a 5th wicket partnership of 101 runs to guide DSS to post a respectable score of 240 for 9 in their allotted 50 overs. Samaranayake’s 50 came off in 57 deliveries including five hits to the ropes. Jayatilleke facing 61 deliveries scored 51 with two boundaries and an equal number of sixes.

Pasindu Malshan and Rohan Sanjaya were the most successful bowlers for the Kalutara school to capture 4 for 25 and 2 for 54 respectively.

In their run chase for victory Tissa Central started off on the wrong foot losing the first two wickets for only 5 runs. Despite a fighting partnership of 64 runs for the 3rd wicket by Rohan Sanjaya ( 27) and Avishka Devinda ( 27) rest of the Tissa Central batsmen found run scoring tough against DSS off spinners Manindra Jayatilleke (7.5-2-223) and Chamath Yatawara (10-218- 3) and were dismissed for 103 off 49.5 overs.