Centuries by Nipunaka Fonseka from St. Peter’s College and Ryan Fernando from S. Thomas’ College ensured a draw in their traditional inter-school cricket encounter at Mount Lavinia yesterday.
The Thomians batting for the second time had to come to terms with a triple-trouble start, losing their captain Romesh Mendis as Danal Hemananda struck twice in the same over.
It was Peterite skipper Nipunaka Fonseka’s day, as he made full use of the encounter firing an undone captain’s classy knock of 101. He also compensated for the missed hundred of his team-mate Lahiru Chethaka and a tit-for-tat for Thomian Fernando’s 103.
Fonseka was instrumental in gaining a lead of 41 and declaring with that.
The Peterites resuming on 51-2, soon lost their settled and opening batsman Shenal Boteju, ending a 73-run stand.
However, wicket-keeper batsman, Chethaka posted his 50. But before he could have a crack at a hundred, he was sent back for a superb 70 giving Yasiru Rodrigo his third wicket.
During his eight boundaries stay, he was also associated in another partnership, this time with his skipper Nipunaka Fonseka that produced 53.
The latter though, began to steer his side, during the process of notching up a responsible 50 and missed by a whisker of two-runs of becoming the encounter’s top-scorer.
S. Thomas’: 227/7 dec (79.5) (Ryan Fernando 103, Shalin de Mel 35, Anuk Palihawadana 30, Mahith Perera 24, Niman Umesh 2/35, Jesuran Benjamin 2/41, Wanuja Kumara 2/80) and 59/6 (Shalin de Mel 26 n.o., Danal Hemananda 2/12)
St. Peter’s: 268/5 dec (Nipunaka Fonseka 101 n.o., Lahiru Chethaka 70, Vinudha Liyanage 29 n.o., Wanuja Sahan 28, Yasiru Rodrigo 3/18).PS