S. Thomas’ College reclaimed the Hon. D.S. Senanayake Shield after an emphatic 5-wicket victory over their long-standing arch-rivals, Royal College.
Day three began with Royal College resuming their second innings after bundling out S. Thomas’ the previous evening. Openers Hirun Liyanarachchi and Rehan Peiris got off to a positive start, capitalizing on anything loose.
Following Liyanarachchi’s dismissal, Peiris combined with Vimath Dinsara to steady Royal’s innings. Dinsara played a quick-fire knock of 35, while Peiris continued his fine form in the Royal-Thomian, bringing up a well-compiled half-century. Skipper Ramiru Perera joined the party with a brisk, run-a-ball fifty after a couple of quick wickets.
Just as Royal seemed to be in control, Darien Diego produced a moment of magic, securing a stunning hat-trick—only the third by a Thomian in Royal-Thomian history. Diego’s heroics forced Royal into a quick declaration, setting up an exciting final session.
The declaration left S. Thomas’ chasing 233 runs, setting the stage for a thrilling finish. The Thomian openers didn’t have the ideal start, with Avinash Fernando falling cheaply. However, Sadev Soysa played the innings of his life, smashing a blistering 52 off just 32 balls.
Despite the quick dismissals of Soysa and Gunasinghe, Dineth Goonewardene and Reshon Solomons took charge, guiding S. Thomas’ to a historic victory. Goonewardene carried his fine form from the first innings, while 15-year-old Solomons showed remarkable composure under immense pressure.
This triumph will go down as one of the most remarkable wins in Thomian history, mirroring the dramatic turnaround seen in the 2016 Battle of the Blues, where Royal clinched victory despite trailing in the first innings.
With plenty more excitement to come this big match season, stay tuned to Sri Lanka’s No.1 Sports Channel, ThePapare, for all the live action!
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