An impressive 110 from Royal College batsman Isiwara Dissanayake forced a dull draw with a lead of 197 on the second and final day of their inter-school cricket encounter against St. Peter’s College at the SSC ground yesterday.
The highlight of the day was clearly the defying innings of Dissanayake who in fact was the last man out.
Batting for most of the second and final day, Royal put on a much improved show thanks to the resilient and a responsible knock from Dissanayake.
Though the Peterite bowlers sporadically kept on chipping in with wickets, the southpaw Dissanayake’s knock meant the opposition failed to make further inroads as the bowlers were collectively kept at bay.
A 62-run partnership between Dissanayake and Dasis Manchanayake steadied the ship further taking them to 152. Manchanayake’s innings was ended, succumbing to a run-out for a near-run-a-ball 35.
However, the opening batsman for the lads from Reid Avenue, ensured he kept the scoreboard ticking, during the process bringing up a calm and cool half-century. Royal’s first-essay’s top scorer Thitira gifted his wicket to Wanuja Kumara, who picked his second in the same over, sending the former for a duck.
However, the settled Dissanayake, approaching a well-deserved century scored runs at will. Dissanayake, in his nervous-nineties, virtually threw his wicket away to a tough chance to the wicket-keeper four shy of a century as he ran out of partners. Earlier Royal were bowled out for 132 in the first essay as Ruvin Seneviratne picked up four wickets.
The Peterites, in response managed to post 162 for a handy lead of 30 runs as their skipper, Shannon Fernando, steered and spearheaded his ship with a fine 55 with eight boundaries as Royal’s Kavindu Pathirana had four scalps.
Scores:
Royal 132 and 227 (Isiwara Dissanayake 110, Dasis Manchanayake 35, Ruvin Seneviratne 2 for 36, Trishen 3 for 42))
St. Peter’s 162 (Shanon Fernando 55, Kavindu Pathirana 4 for 52)