(NEWS Source – The Island – online sports)Inter-School Under-17 Tournament Quarter-Finals
Kavinda and spinners lead Thurstan to semisby Reemus Fernando
Nuwan Kavinda continued his blistering form in the knockout stage with a solid 60 runs (56 balls) inclusive of nine fours and two sixes for Thurstan College to score a huge six wicket win over last year two-day tournament finalists St. Peter?s College in their Inter-School Under-17 Limited Over Cricket Tournament quarter-final played at the CCC Grounds yesterday.
Chasing 176 runs to win, Thurstan reached the target for the lose of four wickets with 16 overs to spare as Kavinda combined with wicketkeeper bat Supun Nawaratne for a valuable 93 run stand to provide a solid foundation for their victory march.
Chasing the target, they were never under pressure except when St. Peter?s opening pace combination troubled them for a brief period. Trishan Fernando had Udara Munasinghe lbw when the score was at 13 but from then on Kavinda and Nawaratne defied the Petes piling runs at will. Incidentally, Kavinda scored a century in their pre quarter finals as well.
When Thurstan were well set, the Petes hit back with two wickets to leave them at 106 for three, but with seven wickets in hand, it couldn?t hinder Thurstans? drive for the kill.
Prabodha Arthavidu and Javid Siyambalapitiya, who combined for an unbeaten 34 runs partnership, took Thurstan home for a comfortable six wicket win.
Although the batsmen hogged the limelight, it was Thurstan?s spinners combined with their active wicket keeper Supun Nawaratne who set the stage for their victory when they reduced St. Peter?s to 175 runs bowling some tight spells.
Deciding to bat first the Peterites captained by Akshu Fernando were off to a blistering start with the opening pair taking on the pacemen to put on 40 runs in six overs. But they were soon tottering when the spinners were introduced. It was off-spinner Ishara Wijeratne who did the initial damage.
He had the tournament?s highest run scorer Andry Berenger caught by wicketkeeper Supun Nawaratne for 24 and Dirk Muller caught off his own bowling in successive deliveries. While Wijeratne?s impressive 10 over spell conceded just 10 runs (his first five overs cost only a solitary run), leg-spinner Sachintha Wijesinghe gave away just 10 runs in his nine overs.
These tight spells controlled the most important phase of the match and the Petes struggled to break the spell cast by the Thurstan spinners. They lost wickets at regular intervals and the only batsman to top 40 runs was Nilochana Perera (46). Nawaratne accounted for four dismissals and also had a hand in two run outs.
Scoreboard
St. Peter?s Innings
A. Berenger ct Nawaratne b Wijeratne 24
D. Perera ct Nawaratne b Wijesinghe 32
D. Muller ct & b Wijeratne 00
A. Emmanuel ct N?ratne b S?apitiya 11
A. Fernando ct Thisura b Arthavidu 07
N. Perera ct Wijeratne b Duminda 46
D. Kodikara st Nawaratne b Duminda 06
T. Fernando ct Arthavidu b S?pitiya 14
S. Jayaweera not out 09
R. Perera run out 02
J. Kannangara run out 07
Extras: (4lb, 12w, 1n) 17
Total: (all out) 175
Overs: 49.4 in 185 minutes
Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-41,3-66, 4-83, 5-95, 6-109, 7-148, 8-160, 9-164
Bowling: Wijewickrama 3-0-28-0, Thisura 1-0-9-0, Siyambalapitiya 10-0-47-2, Wijeratne 10-3-10-2(1w), Wijesinghe 9-4-10-1, Arthavidu 10-1-30-1, Duminda 6.4-0-37-2
Thurstan Innings
U. Munasinghe lbw T. Fernando 03
S. Nawaratne run out 28
N. Kavinda ct Emmanuel b Kannangara 60
T. M?peruma ct R. Perera b A. F?do 15
P. Arthavidu not out 35
J. Siyambalapitiya not out 21
Extras: (6b, 6w, 5n) 17
Total: (for four wickets) 179
Overs: 33.3 in 146 minutes
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-106, 3-106, 4-145
Did not bat: I. Wijeratne, R. Wijewickrama, D. Duminda, S. Thusira, S. Wijesinghe
Bowling: N. Perera 7-0-27-0(1w,1n), T. Fernando 6-2-24-1(1w), Emmanuel 4-0-26-0(1w), Jayaweera 6-0-30-0(1w), A. Fernando 6.3-1-42-1, R. Perera 3-0-16-0, Kannangara 1-0-8-1(2n,1w)
Umpires: D.P. Gamlath, Sanath Ravindra