St. Anne’s College shattered an eight-year hoodoo, clinching a commanding five-wicket victory over Maliyadeva College in the limited-overs encounter of the ‘Battle of the Rocks’ played today. Chasing a modest 198, the Annites reached the target with plenty to spare, driven by an exceptional display of ground fielding, sharp running between the wickets, and a late fireworks display by national youth-capped Sanuja Disanayake. Their last triumph in this format came way back in 2019.
Winning the toss for the second consecutive time, Maliyadeva skipper opted to bat first on a surface that looked slightly tricky but generally good for batting. Openers Pehasara Bandara and Thiwanka Pabasara adopted a watchful approach, navigating the early threat to post 29 runs in eight overs. However, the exceptional ground fielding of St. Anne’s completely shifted the momentum. Sanuka Kemsara initiated the collapse with a sensational direct hit to send Pabasara back. In a disastrous turn of events in the same over, a serious misunderstanding between star batter Rajith Navodya and Bandara resulted in the latter being run out for 16.
The misery deepened when Navodya, the backbone of the Devans’ lineup, attempted a late cut but failed to get the right impact. The ball popped up to first slip, where a fumble was quickly corrected, allowing Ishan Khan to snaffle the invaluable catch.
With Maliyadeva reeling at 43/3, former skipper Chandupa Abeysinghe and newcomer Dushan Sayuranga staged a rescue mission. The duo put on a slow but vital 53-run partnership. Just as the innings were finding its feet, Chandupa perished attempting an uppish sweep, falling LBW. Nesad Weerasekara then delivered a brilliant ball to dismiss Damlath Gamage, bringing the power-hitting Maliyadeva skipper to the crease earlier than anticipated. St. Anne’s captain Yashmith Jayasundara immediately introduced Manuja Wijerathne, and the strategy paid instant dividends as the Devans skipper hit a lofted shot straight back to the bowler, who took a sharp return catch. In the blink of an eye, Maliyadeva had collapsed from a steady 98/3 to a precarious 122/6.
Sonal Ashwin then joined the resolute Sayuranga to inject some much-needed momentum. Sayuranga, who held the fragile innings together, brought up a gritty half-century. However, the pursuit of a 230-run target proved too ambitious. Ashwin departed after playing an uppish shot at 164, and shortly after, Sayuranga’s valiant knock of 62 ended when he holed out attempting a big hit. Vice-captain Thaveesha Balasooriya provided a late cameo of 19 runs, dragging his side closer to 200 runs before he was caught at long-off on the first delivery of the final over. Maliyadeva folded for 197 in 49.1 overs. Manuja Wijerathne was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets, well supported by Sanuja Disanayake, Imasha Samarawickrama, Yashmith Jayasundara, and Ishan Khan, who took a wicket apiece.
Chasing 198, St. Anne’s got off to a chaotic but fortunate start. Pace spearhead Nishudha Chandrasiri induced a leading edge off the very first ball, but a misfield at deep third man gifted the Annites a boundary. The over went from bad to worse for Nishudha, conceding a no-ball and a pair of wides, leaking early runs. However, the Annites’ counter-attack was short-lived. Maliyadeva skipper Dimath extracted enough spin to rattle the timber as Dinuga Abeysekara stepped down the pitch. Nishudha then made amends, trapping Binaru Denuwan bowled out for a duck via an inside edge. Suddenly, the pendulum had swung back to the Devans.
With the innings in the balance, vice-captain Kushan Subhasinghe teamed up with the exceptional fielder Sanuka Kemsara to absorb the pressure and drag St. Anne’s into a comfortable zone. Just as the Annites became favorites, Nishudha struck again, dismissing Kushan, who failed to connect a big hit and was caught by Sayuranga. Thaveesha Balasooriya then delivered a “peach of a delivery” to castle Ishan Khan for 5. When Sonal Ashwin dismissed the well-set Kemsara for a fluent 46, Maliyadeva briefly sniffed an upset.
Then St. Anne’s skipper Yashmith Jayasundara paired with Sanuja Disanayake. With the required rate hovering around a manageable four runs an over and overs in the bank, conventional cricket dictated a risk-free approach. Disanayake, however, had other ideas. The talented youngster launched a brutal assault on the Maliyadeva spinners, who erred by bowling short-pitched deliveries. Disanayake cleared the boundary with fours and launched four massive sixes in a breathtaking cameo, racing to a well-deserved half-century. Captain Jayasundara anchored the chase flawlessly from the other end, crafting an elegant, unbeaten 43 runs. The target was breached in style when Jayasundara pierced the covers with a stylish drive, taking his side’s total past 200 and sealing an unbroken 84-run partnership.
While the batting and bowling margins were relatively even, St. Anne’s undisputed superiority lay in their ground fielding and urgency between the wickets, factors that constantly suffocated the Maliyadeva batters. For Maliyadeva, it was a tale of missed opportunities, failing to translate the rhythm of their three-day encounter into the limited-overs format, ultimately left stunned by the magnificent athleticism of the Annites. Nishudha was the standout bowler for the Devans, claiming two wickets, while Dimath, Thaveesha, and Sonal chipped in with one each.
Brief Scorecard
Maliyadeva College – 197 all out (49.1 Overs)
Dushan Sayuranga 62, Chandupa Abeysinghe 29, Sonal Ashwin 20, Thaveesha Balasooriya 19, Thiwanka Pabasara 16, Manuja Wijeratne 28/3, Yashmith Jayasundara 18/1, Imasha Samarawickrama 19/1, Ishan Khan 30/1, Sanuja Disanayake 38/1, Nesad Weerasekara 45/1
St. Anne’s College – 200/5 (42 Overs)
Sanuja Disanayake 50*, Yashmith Jayasundara 43*, Sanuka Kemsara 46, Kushan Subasinghe 34 Nishuda Chandrasiri 46/2, Dimath Abeysinghe 32/1, Sonal Ashwin 33/1, Thaveesha Balasooriya 42/1
St. Anne’s College won by five wickets
Special Awards
- Best Fielder – Sanuka Kemsara (St. Anne’s)
- Best Bowler – Manuja Wijeratne (St. Anne’s)
- Best Batsman – Dushan Sayuranga (Maliyadeva)
- Man of the Match – Sanuja Disanayake (St. Anne’s)
