Royal College started the first session from where they left yesterday before the rains hit and spoilt the party for the boys from Reid Avenue. The Royalists managed to add another 249 runs to their overnight score of 11 for no loss, losing only five wickets in the process.
Raonaka Ahangamage looked to continued to impress early on with his confident batting approach, however his partner Isuru Gunathilake didn’t feel too comfortable especially facing up to the Thomian left armer bowler N. Kularatne.
Isuru failed to hang in for long, as Kularatne trapped him LBW when he was on 7. Sampath De Silva who joined Raonaka looked a bit uneasy at the start facing up to the two fast bowlers. Raonaka bludgeoned his way through scoring at nearly a run a ball. However, he will be very disappointed that he missed a half century as he gave his wicket after scoring a brilliant 40 runs.
Sampath was joined by the inform batsman Hashen Ramanayake who had scored over 700 runs this season. Hashen settled down quite easily, as these two batsmen put a brilliant 71 run partnership between them, frustrating the Thomian bowling. Thilaksha Sumanasiri and Madushan Ravichandrakumar failed to make any impression yet going into lunch, and will have to tighten the screws early in the second session. Javed Bongso will also need to be a bit more attacking in the field, as they seem to be quite happy allowing Royal to sit back and rotate the strike.
However, the lunch break helped the Thomians to regroup, as they managed to get the important Ramanayake wicket. Isuru Kularatne who definitely showed his class in spells managed to rattle Hashen’s stumps, when the batsman was on 43 and looking dangerous, ending a 85 run partnership between Ramanayake and De Silva.
Heshan Kumarasiri and Sampath put up another 31 run partnership, however these two wickets fell in quick succession. Sampath especially was well on course towards getting a magical century at a Royal-Thomian and will be very disappointed with himself as he tried to come down the track to Ravindu Thilakarathne, missing it eventually only to be stumped by Sanesh de Mel. Thilakarathne will be extremely pleased with himself having taken a very important wicket as his first.
Royal were 188 for 5 wickets, with Milan Abeysekara and Poorna Aluthge at the crease. These two revived the Royal innings scoring a blistering 72 runs between them in just 12 overs as the boys from Reid Avenue race to 260 runs. Milan went on to make his half century, having hammered Madushan Ravichndrakumar for two sixes in the same over. Poorna also contributed with three fours to his name, as they looked to accelerate in order to put up a sizeable total and put the Thomians to bat with a healthy lead. However, Royalists spirits were literally dampened as the rains came down once again and play was called off for the day. The Royalists will have a lead of 68 runs going into the 3rd day, and it will be interesting to see what the course of action will be in terms of declaration.
Play will resume tomorrow at 9.45am
Match Summary
S. Thomas’ College 1st Innings – 193 all out in 73.2 overs
(Devin Jayasinghe 74, R. Thilakarathne 26*, Helakamal Nanayakkara 24, Chamika Karunarathne 5/55, Poorna Aluthge 2/22)
Royal College 1st Innings – 260 for 5 wickets in 63 overs
(Raonaka Ahangama 40, Sampath De Silva 64,Hashen Ramanayake 43, Milan Abeysekara 50*, I. Kularatne 2/44, Helakamal Nanayakkara 1/28)
Royal lead by 68 runs
