Trinity College triumphed in a thrilling contest on the 23rd of March, securing victory by a commanding margin of 100 runs in the highly anticipated annual one-day limited overs cricket clash (Richard Aluvihare Trophy), coinciding with the historic 105th edition of the Hill-Country Battle of the Blues between Trinity College Kandy and St. Anthony’s College Katugastota.
This fiercely contested match, marking its 42nd iteration, unfolded at the picturesque Katugastota Oval, with St. Anthony’s College winning the toss and electing to field first.
Trinity College showcased their prowess with the bat, posting a formidable total of 228 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. The opening duo of Dimantha Mahavithana and Viduka Dhammage laid a solid foundation, stitching together a promising partnership of 51 runs for the first wicket. However, Viduka’s departure, after a resilient innings of 24 runs from 35 deliveries, marked the first breakthrough for St. Anthony’s.
Undeterred by the early setback, Supun Waduge joined forces with Dimantha Mahavitana, consolidating Trinity’s innings with a substantial partnership of 72 runs for the second wicket. Dimantha Mahavitana displayed exceptional skill, crafting a composed innings of 55 runs, adorned with 6 boundaries and a towering six, while Supun Waduge contributed a fluent 56 runs, laced with 6 fours and a maximum, off 71 deliveries.
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The middle-order stalwart Janitha Ravishka further bolstered Trinity’s total, remaining unbeaten on 39 runs from 50 balls, comprising 2 boundaries.
In the bowling department, Thisara Ekanayake emerged as the standout performer for St. Anthony’s, wreaking havoc with a splendid haul of 5 wickets for 29 runs, delivering a masterful display of skill and precision. Supporting him, Kavisha Piumal and Charuka Ekanayake chipped in with a wicket apiece, striving to contain Trinity’s batting onslaught.
Chasing a challenging target of 229 runs for victory, St. Anthony’s College encountered early setbacks as Trinity’s bowlers unleashed a barrage of relentless deliveries. The opening pair of Captain Thisara Ekanayake and Kaushik Kumarasinghe struggled to find their rhythm, as Trinity’s disciplined bowling unit dismantled the top order, reducing St. Anthony’s to a precarious position of 44 runs for the loss of 6 wickets.
In the face of mounting pressure, Induwara Galapitage exhibited resilience, anchoring the innings with a defiant knock of 40 runs off 88 deliveries, punctuated by 3 well-timed boundaries. Supported by Januka Ratnayake, who contributed a brisk 29 runs from 29 balls, including 5 boundaries, and Kavisha Piyumal, who battled hard for his 22 runs off 41 deliveries, St. Anthony’s fought valiantly to stay afloat in the contest.
Trinity’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure, with Dinuka Tennakoon and Tarana Wimaladharma wreaking havoc, claiming 3 wickets each, while Malith Ratnayake and Manula Kularatne provided crucial breakthroughs, securing 2 and 1 wicket(s) respectively. Notably, despite not featuring among the wickets, Supun Waduge’s economical spell, conceding a mere 19 runs from his 9 overs, played a pivotal role in stifling St. Anthony’s momentum.
Following players received the special Awards on offer in the 42nd Richard Aluvihare Trophy encounter:
- Man of the Match – Supun Waduge (Trinity)
- Best Batsman – Dimantha Mahavithana (Trinity)
- Best Bowler – Thisara Ekanayake (St. Anthony’s)
- Best Fielder – Janith Warnakula (Trinity)
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimantha Mahavithana | run out (Kevan Ramika) | 55 | 87 | 6 | 1 | 63.22 |
| Viduka Dhammage | c Charuka Ekanayake b Thisara Ekanayake | 24 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 68.57 |
| Supun Waduge | st Januka Rathnayake b Thisara Ekanayake | 56 | 71 | 6 | 1 | 78.87 |
| Dinusha Peiris | b Thisara Ekanayake | 15 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Manula Kularathne | b Thisara Ekanayake | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Janith Ravishka | not out | 41 | 51 | 2 | 0 | 80.39 |
| Vathila Udara | lbw b Thisara Ekanayake | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Tharana Wimaladarma | c Januka Rathnayake b Charuka Ekanayake | 5 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 27.78 |
| Dinuka Tennakon | c Janith Rathnasiri b Kaveesha Piyumal | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 122.22 |
| Malith Rathnayake | run out (Januka Rathnayake) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Thisal Yapa | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 20 (b 5 , lb 2 , nb 2, w 11, pen 0) |
| Total | 228/9 (50 Overs, RR: 4.56) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bimash Vidudaya | 5 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 6.00 | |
| Tharusha Dasun | 8 | 1 | 49 | 0 | 6.12 | |
| Thisara Ekanayake | 10 | 0 | 29 | 5 | 2.90 | |
| Kaveesha Piyumal | 10 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 3.90 | |
| Dinura Ganegoda | 5 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 4.60 | |
| Charuka Ekanayake | 10 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 4.10 | |
| Kevan Ramika | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 5.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thisara Ekanayake | b Dinuka Tennakon | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Kaushika Kumarasinghe | c Supun Waduge b Manula Kularathne | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Januka Rathnayake | c Janith Ravishka b Dinuka Tennakon | 29 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Janith Rathnasiri | c Thisal Yapa b Tharana Wimaladarma | 6 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 60.00 |
| Dinura Ganegoda | lbw b Dinuka Tennakon | 2 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 8.70 |
| Kevan Ramika | lbw b Malith Rathnayake | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Induwara Galapitage | c & b Tharana Wimaladarma | 40 | 88 | 3 | 0 | 45.45 |
| Kaveesha Piyumal | lbw b Malith Rathnayake | 22 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 53.66 |
| Bimash Vidudaya | c Viduka Dhammage b Tharana Wimaladarma | 11 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 39.29 |
| Charuka Ekanayake | run out (Janith Ravishka) | 4 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 30.77 |
| Tharusha Dasun | not out | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 10 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 1, w 7, pen 0) |
| Total | 128/10 (41.3 Overs, RR: 3.08) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manula Kularathne | 5 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 4.20 | |
| Thisal Yapa | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10.00 | |
| Dinuka Tennakoon | 6 | 2 | 19 | 3 | 3.17 | |
| Tharana Wimaladarma | 8.3 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 2.29 | |
| Malith Rathnayake | 7 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 2.57 | |
| Vathila Udara | 5 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 4.00 | |
| Supun Waduge | 9 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 2.11 | |
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