Inter Provincial cricket tournament :

Epic knock of 214 by Thilan as Kandurata pile up 727

Chris Dhambarage

Sri Lanka middle order batsman Thilan Samaraweera hit a trail blazing 214 as MAS Kandurata cruised to a convincing first innings victory over Basnahira North in their Bank of Ceylon Inter Provincial four day cricket tournament match which concluded at the Moors SC ground in Braybrooke Place yesterday. Samaraweera faced 355 deliveries and struck 21 boundaries during his marathon innings as Kandurata went on to score a mammoth 727 in reply to Basnahira North's first innings total of 530.

This total in fact entered the record books as the fourth highest in first class cricket for Sri Lanka.

In addition Samaraweera and Jeevan Mendis extended their fifth wicket partnership to a massive 274 runs as they fell short by six runs from setting up a new record.

The previous fifth wicket first class record partnership of 280 runs is held by Samaraweera himself and Tillekeratne Dilshan against Bangladesh at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium in 2005.

Mendis also joined in the run spree with a magnificent 150 from 213 deliveries inclusive of one six and 21 boundaries. The Kandurata total was further boosted by a 89 ball knock of 74 from all rounder Suraj Randiv who hoisted two sixes and struck ten boundaries.

Basnahira North: 530 and 209 for 4 (D. Munaweera 39, D. Karunaratne 36, S. Serasinghe 60, B. Perera 60).

Kandurata: 727 (N. Nawala 113, K. Gunawardena 64, T. Samaraweera 214, J. Mendis 150, S. Randiv 74, S. Prasanna 34, C. Vidanapathirana 21 n.o, S. Serasinghe 2 for 120, D. Dharshanpriya 2 for 88, D. Prasad 3 for 112).