Schools Invitation XI stun Basnahira South

Chris Dhambarage

The East West Schools Invitation XI made a dream start to the Sri Lanka Cricket organized inaugural SLT Inter Provincial Twenty/20 tournament when they edged out the more fancied Lexmark Basnahira South team by 13 runs in their opening fixture worked off at the BRC ground in Havelock Park yesterday.

The Schools Invitation XI did well to defend their modest total of 152 for 7 and bowled out their opponents for 139 runs in the 19th over. Their success had a great amount of significance because they were making their first appearance in a major tournament organized by the SLC.

The Schools Invitation XI innings was built around a solid half century from Tharindu Fernando who had earlier excelled for his school Sri Sumangala MV Panadura and for his Club Panadura SC in the Premier League tournament. The dashing opener who failed to make it to the Under 19 World Cup hit a top score of 55 from 45 deliveries with the help of one six and five boundaries.

Fernando put on 75 runs for the first wicket with his captain Dinesh Chandimal before Angelo Perera added the fnishing touches with a contribution of 32 from 24 balls with one six and a couple of boundaries.

The Lexmark Basnahira South team were then troubled by an inspired spell of bowling from paceman Chatura Peiris who had two wickets for 14 from four overs. But the real damage was done by the Peterite seamer Vinod Perera who snapped up three wickets including the key wicket of Anushka Polonowita who was ninth out for a top score of 54 from 27 deliveries with three sixes and five boundaries.

East West Schools Invitation XI: 152 for 7 in 20 overs (Tharindu Fernando 55, Dinesh Chandimal 29, Angelo Perera 32, Dilruwan Perera 2 for 22, Chanaka Komasaru 2 for 29).

Lexmark Basnahira South: 139 in 19 overs (Dilruwan Perera 18, Nimesh Perera 25, Anushka Polonowita 54, Chatura Peiris 2 for 14, Imesh Udayanga 2 for 20, Vinod Perera 3 for 29)

Easy win for Wayamba

Damitha Hunukumbura hammered a sparkling half century as Lanka Bell Wayamba cruised to an easy five wicket victory over E Wis Basnahira North in their SLT Inter Provincial Twenty/20 match played at the Colts grounds in Havelock Park yesterday.

Hunukumbura plundered 87 runs from just 54 deliveries inclusive of fourteen boundaries as Lanka Bell Wayamba overtook their opponents total of 158 runs with five balls to spare. Hunukumbura added 58 for the second wicket with Sameera de Zoysa and put on a further 72 runs for the fourth wicket with Suresh Perera.

Earlier E Wis Basnahira North struggled to reach 158 for 9 from their 20 overs against some accurate bowling from Chanaka Welagedera, Shalika Karunanayake and S. H. M. Silva who shared two six wickets between them.

E Wis Basnahira North: 158 for 9 in 20 overs (Amal Athulathmudali 18, Gayan Wijekoon 33, Thilina Kandamby 33, Shanuka Dissanayake 33 n.o, Chanaka Welagedera 2 for 21, Shalika Karunanayake 2 for 40, S. H. M. Silva 2 for 22).

Lanka Bell Wayamba: 160 for 5 in 19.1 overs (Damitha Hunukumbura 87, Sameera de Zoysa 26, Suresh Perera 22, Gayan Wijekoon 2 for 25)

Ruhuna a seven wkt win

Hirdaramani Ruhuna powered their way to a seven wicket victory over MAS Holdings Kandurata on the Duckworth and Lewis scoring method in their SLT Inter Provincial Twenty/20 tournament match worked off at the Colts grounds in Havelock Park yesterday.

Ruhuna reached 57 for 3 from 6 overs when bad light halted play while chasing Kandurata total of 172 for 8. The Kandurata innings was boosted by two good knocks from Jeewan Mendis and Chinthaka Jayasinghe after they had lost three wickets in one over off left arm seamer Sujeewa de Silva.

However Mendis and Jayasinghe revived the innings with a sixth wicket partnership of 73 runs from just six overs. The former struck 47 from 38 deliveries with one six and two boundaries while the latter hammered a sparkling 46 off 21 balls inclusive of four sixes and the same number of fours.

MAS Holdings Kandurata: 172 for 8 in 20 overs (Dilshan Vitharana 22, Thilan Samaraweera 22, Jeewan Mendis 47, Chinthaka Jayasinghe 46, Sujeewa de Silva 4 for 32).

Hirdaramani Ruhuna: 57 for 3 in 6 overs (Indika de Saram 16, Yohan de Silva 18 n.o, Kosala Kulasekera 15 n.o, Chaminda Vidanapathirana 2 for 22).