The 107th ‘Hill Country Battle of the Blues’ between St Anthony’s College, Katugastota, and Trinity College, Kandy, lived up to its rich legacy on the second day, witnessing a masterful display of batting composure by Trinity’s Adham Hilmy. His gritty century not only dismantled the Antonian bowling attack but also propelled the Trinitians into a position of formidable authority at picturesque Asgiriya International Cricket Stadium.
On the other hand, Antonians were determined to get quick wickets and to launch a counterattack. Though the Antonians executed their plan initially, the determined Adham Hilmy and Trinity Tail survived for hours and managed to build a 107-run 1st-innings lead to take control of the game.
Gregory started the proceedings of day 2 with the ball, and Dinal Fernando pulled the first delivery towards the midwicket area for a couple. During the next over, Sanithu Gunathilake executed the Antonians’ game plan by removing Fernando after being caught for an LBW offence after adding just three runs. During the next over, the Antonian triumph card, Rayan Gregory, took a crucial wicket as the danger man, Deemantha Mahavithana, was LBW against a typical chinaman delivery. With these early blows the Antonians came right back on to the track, despite their collapse with the batting.
When Trinity Lions were under tremendous pressure, the young talent Prveen Rukunayake and Sri Lanka youth wicketkeeper batsman Adham Hilmy got together and built a slow and solid 31-run partnership. Again, the Antonian skipper went for his part-timer, Sisal Attanayake, who brought the expected result with his first delivery. Rukunayake went for a high-stakes reverse sweep and missed a straightish full toss by marking a hat-trick of LBWs.
Then the things went from bad to worse for the hosts, as the next batsman, Malika Vithanage, was caught and bowled for a clinical delivery by Kaveesha Samarathunga. By the time the scoreboard read 111/7, indicating the amount of pressure applied by the Antonians. Later, the national youth capped duo Sethmika Senevirathne and Adam Hilmy got together and showcased great resistance and kept their wickets until the lunch break.
Just after the break, Hilmy danced down the pitch and executed a stylish cover drive which went to the boundary, bringing up his half-century. By the way, a vital 78-run partnership came between Seneth and Hilmy, which helped the Trinity to get out of jail and to grow a handy lead. Then, Praveen Gamage made the breakthrough that Antonians were badly needed by removing Sethmika for 29 runs. Then Dhammage joined the set Batman and Hilmy, and the pair accumulated some vital runs by taking the game away from the Antonians.
Meanwhile, Hilmy was down on one knee and hit a classic sweep for another boundary to bring up his century, which was the moment of the game so far. The hallmark of his innings was his ability to rotate the strike and punish the loose deliveries. He drove with elegance through the covers and pulled fiercely anything shorter than a length. Hilmy’s masterpiece inning did not end at the century; he continued to accelerate, ensuring his team batted the Antonians out of the game.
After the fall of the ninth wicket, Hilmy came down the track for a huge hit but failed to make any connection and was stumped behind. But the damage had already been done by his mammoth 125-run innings, and Trinity posted a total of 264 just before getting all out. Samarathunga and Attanayake took three wickets each for the Antonians by applying some break on Trinity College’s innings.
As the sun set over the hills of Kandy, Trinity College found itself in the driver’s seat. Thanks to Adham Hilmy’s monumental century, the Trinitians are not only in control of this encounter but are also knocking on the door of a decisive victory. Day 3 promises to be an intriguing affair, with St Anthony’s needing a strong batting effort to turn the game in their favour, while Trinity eyes a kill.
Brief Scoreboard
St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota (1st inning) – 157 all out (57.3 Overs)
Sisal Attanayake 64*, Kaushika Kumarasinghe 44, Dinul wijesinghe 15, Dasun Walianga 10
Kanilka Anthony 54/4, Dinal Fernando 09/2, Chaniru Senarathne 30/2, Malika Vithanage 04/1, Sethmike Senevirathne 34/1,
Trinity College, Kandy (1st inning) 264/3 (82.3 Overs)
Adham Hilmy 125, Dimantha Mahavithana 54, Sethmika Senevirathne 29, Viduneth Dhammage 15, Chaniru Senarathne 10,
Sisal Attanayake 41/3, Kaveesha Samarathunga 55/3, Sanithu Gunathilake 15/1, Praveen Gamage 12/1, Ryan Gregory 71/1, Dasun Walianga 50/1
St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota (2nd inning) – 09/1 (6 Overs)
Chaniru Senarathne 03/1
