Day 03 of the 92nd Battle of the Saints ended in a pulse-pounding draw at the SSC grounds, as a resilient St. Peter’s College survived a whirlwind Josephian declaration to ensure the Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc trophy remained in Bambalapitiya. Despite a dominant performance from St. Joseph’s College across the final day, the Peterites displayed immense character under fire to bat out 50 high-pressure overs in their second innings.
St. Joseph’s College started the morning with clinical intent, needing only a handful of overs to wrap up the Peterite first innings. The star of the show was undoubtedly Vigneshwaran Akash, who continued his mastery from the previous evening. Akash scythed through the tail to finish with remarkable figures of 6 for 44, bowling St. Peter’s out for 257 and handing the Josephians a significant 95-run first-innings lead.
Smelling blood, the Josephians came out for their second innings with a clear license to thrill. Senuja Wekunagoda and Aveesha Samash turned the SSC into their personal playground, dismantling the Peterite attack with an array of aggressive strokes. Wekunagoda blazed a rapid 56 off 55 balls, punctuated by seven boundaries and a towering six, while Samash matched him for intensity, contributing a fluent 56 off 67 deliveries.
In a brilliant decision by the Josephian think tank, they declared at 190 for 3 after just 34 overs. The declaration set St. Peter’s a target of 286 for victory, and more importantly, gave the Josephian bowlers 50 overs to hunt for the ten wickets required for an outright win. This injected much-needed liveliness into this edition of the Battle of the Saints.
The final innings was a gruelling test of nerves. St. Peter’s began their chase disastrously, sliding to 32 for 3, with key batsman Asadisa Thejana dismissed just before tea. Their troubles continued as the Peterites slumped to 120 for 6, with the Josephian spinners-led by Vishwa Peiris (5 for 113) and Vigneshwaran Akash (4 for 50)-threatening to run through the side.
However, the Peterite middle and lower order refused to buckle. Joshua Sebastian played a vital, stabilising knock of 56, but the true hero of the afternoon was Thareen Sanketh. In a breathtaking display of counter-attacking cricket, Sanketh smashed an unbeaten 63 off just 33 balls, including seven massive sixes, to push the Josephians onto the defensive. His innings was supported by a gritty yet underrated 8 off 59 balls from captain Enosh Peterson.
The Peterites had their hearts in their mouths during the 49th over as skipper Peterson was dismissed by Vigneshwaran Akash, who then removed Kariyawasam off the very next ball, putting himself on a hat-trick. The real surprise for both spectators and players came when Sanketh, with only one wicket remaining, chose to back his strengths and saw his team home by stepping forward to the final ball of the day and smashing it back over the bowler’s head for a maximum.
The 92nd Battle of the Saints saw individual brilliance from both sides, but it was Vigneshwaran Akash of St. Joseph’s College who stole the spotlight, earning both the Best Bowler and Man of the Match awards for his devastating 10-wicket haul, including a masterful 6 for 44 in the first innings. His teammate Senuja Wekunagoda was named Best Batsman following a high-tempo 56 that helped set a daunting target. For the Peterites, Shavidu Silva was recognised as the Best All-Rounder after etching his name into the history books with a five-wicket haul and a vital first-innings 62. Rounding out the awards, Asadisa Thejana was honoured as Best Fielder for his sharp work in the field.
The incredible Peterite resistance ensured that the Rev. Fr. Maurice Le Goc Trophy will rest in Bambalapitiya for yet another year at the end of the 92nd edition of the historic Battle of the Saints.
REPLAY – St. Joseph’s College vs St. Peter’s College – 92nd Battle of the Saints 2026
