The 60th Battle Of The Brothers Big Match encounter between Thurstan College and Isipathana College kicked off today at the SSC Grounds in Colombo. On a day in which 288 runs were scored and 12 wickets fell, Isipathana College ended up with more honours.
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Isipathana College Skipper Naveen Kanishka won the toss and decided to bowl first with the intention of making use of the greenish surface. Sahan Viraj, the opening pace bowler for Isipathana College, did exactly what his Captain wanted as he bowled in good lines and lengths to trouble the Thurstanite top order batters. Thurstan College lost their first two wickets with just 11 runs on the board, but Thanuja Rajapaksha and Shanikya Deshapriya put up a counterattacking stand of 65 runs for the 3rd wicket.
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However, the momentum they had was completely blown away when Kanishka introduced himself to the bowling attack as a third seamer to remove his opposite number Deshapriya. Rajapaksha went on to make a quality half century, with the highlight of his knock being the hat trick of sixes he scored against Viraj, who was Isipathana’s best bowler of the day.
However, Rajapaksha was unable to convert his 50 into a big one as Kanishka removed him to take a 2nd wicket. Viraj was then brought back to the attack, and he delivered once again to remove the dangerous Vihas Thewmika at the stroke of lunch. With all their top batters of the season back in the pavilion, Thurstan College went for lunch with a score of 107/5.
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Viraj began the 2nd session in style as he removed Mohommad Azeem for a first ball duck to further derail the Thurstanites. However, just when Isipathana were looking all set to dismiss Thurstan for a score below 150, Ushan Imesh came out all guns blazing hammering the Pathana bowlers at will. He reached a well-deserved half century off just 43 deliveries, as the 7th wicket partnership also passed 50.
However, Thurstan College once again gave away all the momentum they had when Imesh departed after playing a rash shot against Kanishka. With Imesh departing for 57 off 51 balls, the Thurstan College tail got blown away in no time as they lost their last 4 wickets for the addition of just 8 runs, as they were bowled out for just 186.
Viraj, who caused a lot of trouble with the new ball upfront and then with the slightly older ball, ended up with figures of 5 for 44, becoming just the 2nd bowler from Isipathana College to take a fifer since 2010 in a Battle of the Brothers encounter. Skipper Kanishka also took 3 wickets for 32 runs, playing a good supporting role to Viraj.
The Isipathana College openers came out to bat with an aggressive mindset, but we’re unable to last long as the highly exciting off spinner from Thurstan College, Thewmika, removed them both, as Isipathana were on a spot of bother losing 2 wickets for 31. However, Tharushka Ashel and Yesith Kalupahana batted with a lot of authority as they batted out until the end of day’s play to drive Isipathana over the 100-run mark, losing just 2 wickets.
When the Umpires called off the day’s play due to bad light, Isipathana College were on 102 for the loss of 2 wickets, with Ashel and Kalupahana unbeaten on 47 and 26 respectively. The duo will be hoping to continue tomorrow from where they left off, when the 2nd day of the 60th Battle of the Brothers unfolds.
Catch all the live action from this big match encounter on www.thepapare.com, on Dialog TV channel number 22 or Dialog Viu App
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanuga Palihawadana | lbw b Sahan Viraj | 4 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Thanuja Rajapaksha | c Sithuka Gunawardane b Naveen Kanishka | 56 | 75 | 3 | 4 | 74.67 |
| Thenuka Dewappriya | c Sithuka Gunawardane b Kevin Samuel | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Shanikiya Deshapriya | c Tharusha Nethsara b Naveen Kanishka | 27 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 103.85 |
| Vihas Thewmika | c Tharusha Nethsara b Sahan Viraj | 10 | 39 | 1 | 0 | 25.64 |
| Navindu Dulan | c Themiya Gunarathne b Sahan Viraj | 22 | 94 | 1 | 0 | 23.40 |
| Azeem Mohomed | c Sithuka Gunawardane b Sahan Viraj | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Ushan Imesh | c Tharushka Ashel b Naveen Kanishka | 57 | 51 | 7 | 1 | 111.76 |
| Vishwa Dhananjaya | c Naveen Kanishka b Dasith Senal | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Gagana Perera | c Dushan Malinga b Sahan Viraj | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Talisha Nanayakkara | not out | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Extras | 9 (b 0 , lb 5 , nb 2, w 2, pen 0) |
| Total | 186/10 (52.5 Overs, RR: 3.52) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahan Viraj | 11.5 | 4 | 44 | 5 | 3.83 | |
| Kevin Samuel | 9 | 1 | 43 | 1 | 4.78 | |
| Sithuka Gunawardhana | 8 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 2.75 | |
| Yesith Kalupahana | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8.00 | |
| Naveen Kanishka | 14 | 0 | 32 | 3 | 2.29 | |
| Dasith Senal | 9 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 3.56 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tharusha Nethsara | c Navindu Dulan b Vihas Thewmika | 12 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 42.86 |
| Naveen Kanishka | c Shanikiya Deshapriya b Vihas Thewmika | 10 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 35.71 |
| Tharushka Ashel | c Thenuka Dewappriya b Vihas Thewmika | 72 | 149 | 8 | 0 | 48.32 |
| Yesith Kalupahana | st Shanikiya Deshapriya b Ushan Imesh | 51 | 97 | 2 | 2 | 52.58 |
| Sithuka Gunawardane | c Azeem Mohomed b Vihas Thewmika | 6 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Yuneth Senevirathne | lbw b Vihas Thewmika | 13 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 61.90 |
| Themiya Gunarathne | c Ushan Imesh b Vihas Thewmika | 5 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 35.71 |
| Dushan Malinga | c Shanikiya Deshapriya b Vishwa Dhananjaya | 10 | 56 | 1 | 0 | 17.86 |
| Kevin Samuel | lbw b Vihas Thewmika | 21 | 52 | 3 | 0 | 40.38 |
| Dasith Senal | c Ushan Imesh b Azeem Mohomed | 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 5.88 |
| Extras | 10 (b 3 , lb 1 , nb 6, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 211/10 (78.5 Overs, RR: 2.68) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gagana Perera | 9 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 1.89 | |
| Vishwa Dhananjaya | 15 | 3 | 58 | 1 | 3.87 | |
| Vihas Thewmika | 31.5 | 6 | 67 | 7 | 2.13 | |
| Talisha Nanayakkara | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3.50 | |
| Thanuga Palihawadana | 12 | 3 | 31 | 0 | 2.58 | |
| Azeem Mohomed | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 2.67 | |
| Ushan Imesh | 6 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 3.33 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanuja Rajapaksha | c Themiya Gunarathne b Sithuka Gunawardane | 36 | 57 | 5 | 0 | 63.16 |
| Thanuga Palihawadana | c Tharusha Nethsara b Sahan Viraj | 27 | 82 | 3 | 0 | 32.93 |
| Shanikiya Deshapriya | not out | 53 | 42 | 9 | 0 | 126.19 |
| Thenuka Dewappriya | not out | 12 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 30.00 |
| Extras | 12 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 1, w 4, pen 5) |
| Total | 140/2 (36.4 Overs, RR: 3.82) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahan Viraj | 9.4 | 0 | 52 | 1 | 5.53 | |
| Kevin Samuel | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8.00 | |
| Tharushka Ashel | 9 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 2.44 | |
| Sithuka Gunawardhana | 8 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 2.25 | |
| Dasith Senal | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4.00 | |
| Naveen Kanishka | 5 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 3.60 | |
| Themiya Gunarathne | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3.50 | |
