Lidula’s masterclass 162 steals the show as Vidyaloka secure 1st innings honors

The highly anticipated “Pride of the Galle” Big Match between Vidyaloka College and All Saints’ College concluded in a dramatic draw at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. However, it was Vidyaloka captain Lidula Nuwanga who walked away with the glory. His breathtaking innings of 162 runs not only dismantled the All Saints’ bowling attack but also earned his side crucial first-innings honours in an encounter marked by Vidyaloka’s dominance.

Winning the toss and opting to field first on what was widely regarded as a batting paradise at the Galle International Cricket Stadium proved to be a disastrous decision for All Saints’ College. The Vidyaloka openers, Pasan Madushanka and Abilash Alankara, made the opposition pay immediately, laying a solid foundation. Right-arm pacer Iman Chamuditha eventually provided the breakthrough, dismissing Alankara for a well-made 28. However, the respite was brief. A vital second-wicket partnership was broken not by bowling but by a brilliant piece of fielding from Sadalanka Senhiru, who executed a sharp run-out.

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The stage was then set for skipper Lidula Nuwanga, who joined the well-set Madushanka at the crease. The duo forged a threatening 81-run partnership, shifting the momentum entirely in Vidyaloka’s favour. Opening pacer Bingum Sulakshana finally brought an end to Madushanka’s resilient knock, removing him for a beautifully compiled 79, which included five boundaries and a six. Despite losing his partner, Nuwanga shifted gears. He found an aggressive ally in Chanul Mandil, and the pair raced to a 65-run stand in just 46 deliveries. As wickets fell at the other end, Yasith Deemantha arrived at the crease to play the perfect supporting role, allowing his captain to take centre stage.

Nuwanga hammered the ball to all corners of the ground, bringing up a brilliant century partnership with Deemantha. He was eventually dismissed by Bhanuka Piyalath for a magnificent 162, an innings decorated with eight boundaries and nine towering sixes. With the score reading a commanding 364/6, Vidyaloka declared. Piyalath was the pick of the bowlers for All Saints’, finishing with a three-wicket haul.

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Chasing a mammoth total, All Saints’ College began their first innings in the worst possible fashion, slumping to 11/2. Niroshan Buddhima and Uwan Pahasara attempted to stage a recovery with a 25-run partnership, but a catastrophic collapse was just around the corner. Disaster struck when the innings lost four wickets for the addition of just one run, leaving them reeling at 37/6.

Chalindu Heshan and Dihen Methsilu offered some late resistance with a 27-run stand for the seventh wicket, but it merely delayed the inevitable. The Vidyaloka bowlers tightened the screws and bundled out All Saints’ for a paltry 85. The destruction was led by a three-pronged bowling attack, with skipper Lidula Nuwanga, Navod Gavishtha, and Janish Irantha claiming three wickets apiece.

Trailing by a massive 279 runs, All Saints’ College was forced to follow on. The second innings mirrored the first as they lost two early wickets with just eight runs on the board. However, Niroshan Buddhima and Bhanuka Piyalath showed grit and determination, raising hopes of securing a draw. Uwan Pahasara then produced a gem of an innings, scoring a stylish 56 that featured six elegant boundaries and a six. Just as Vidyaloka began to sense an innings victory, chinaman bowler Navod Gavishtha delivered a brilliant delivery to dismiss the well-set Pahasara, leaving the score at 116/7.

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With Vidyaloka on the brink of a comprehensive victory, cruel fate intervened. Bad light brought play to a halt, allowing the lads from All Saints’ College to escape from the jaws of an innings defeat. The match saw only 128.3 overs bowled across the two days, and had the full quota of overs been completed, a result in favour of Vidyaloka would have seemed inevitable.

While the game ended in a stalemate, the sheer weight of Vidyaloka’s first-innings total ensured they walked away with first-innings honours. Yet, the enduring memory of this year’s “Pride of the Galle” will undoubtedly be the masterclass innings played by Lidula Nuwanga—a captain’s knock that completely dominated the occasion.

Scorecard in Brief

Vidyaloka College, Galle – 364/6d (63.1 overs)

Lidula Nuwanga 162, Pasan Madushanka 79, Abilash Alankara 28, Chanul Mandil 24, Yasith Deemantha 23 n.o., Thurunu Theshan 19

Bhanuka Piyalath 115/3, Iman Charutha 68/1, Bingum Sulakshana  71/1

All Saints’ College, Galle – 85/10 (35.2 overs)

Niroshan Buddhima 26, Chalindu Heshan 20, Dihen Methsilu 14,

Lidula Nuwanga 13/3, Navod Gavishtha 24/3, Janish Irantha 29/3, Chanul Mandil 17/1

All Saints’ College, Galle (Follow on)  – 116/7 (37 overs)

Uwan Pahasara 56, Bingum Sulakshana 15, Bhanuka Piyalath 14, Chalindu Heshan 14 n.o.

Navod Gavishtha 36/3, Janish Irantha 30/2, Chanul Mandil 08/1, Gajatha Sahiru 16/1

Match Drawn, Vidyaloka College, Galle won by 01st Innings lead