By M. Shamil Amit

Colombo, Mar. 7 (Daily Mirror) - Sadev Soysa and Dineth Goonewardena shone with half centuries as S. Thomas’ College, invited to take first lease of the wicket made 297 runs in their first innings on day one of the 145th Battle of the Blues Inter-School Big Match against the traditional rivals Royal College played at the SSC Grounds in Maitland Place today.

Sadev cracked 83 in 134 balls that included 11 boundaries while Deneth made 50 with eight boundaries.

Sadev was involved in two valuable partnerships. He first figured in an opening-wicket stand of 66 runs with Senadhi Bulankulame and added another 66 runs for the second wicket with Dineth, who shared a 58-run stand for the third wicket with Skipper Mahith Perera.

However, the Thomians from a healthy position of 190 for three lost two quick wickets for the addition of 36 runs - Skipper Mahith who made 36 and Thisen Eheliyagoda.

Later in the innings Nathan Caldera and Akash Fernando put on a stand of 60 runs for the sixth wicket but lost their remaining four wickets for the addition of 11 runs and they were bowled out for 297 runs.

For Royal, the spin pair of Skipper Sineth Jayawardena and Ramiru Perera shared eight wickets between them. The match will be continued tomorrow.

Scoreboard

S. Thomas’ 1st innings

S. Soysa c Bandara b Jayawardena 83

S. Bulankulame c Peiris b Jayawardena 13

D. Goonewardena c and b Perera 50

M. Perera lbw b Jayawardena 36

T. Eheliyagoda c Perera b Dharmaratne 16

N. Caldera c Weeratunga b Perera 44

A. Fernando b Malaviarachchi 29

K. Dias c Dissanayake b Perera 05

D. Diego c Jayawardena b Perera 05

A. Perera c Bandara b Jayawardena 01

A. Palihawadana not out 00

Extras: (b9, nb1, w5) 15

Total: (All out in 88.2 overs) 297

Fall: 1-66, 2-132, 3-190, 4-200, 5-226, 6-286, 7-286, 8-292, 9-292

Bowling: R. Malaviarachchi 16-0-55-1, D. Senaratne 11-2-33-0, B. Weeratunga 13-0-50-0, R. Perera 13.2-3-55-4, S. Jayawardena 25-5-68-4, Y. Bandara 4-1-12-0, N. Dharmaratne 6-1-15-1 

Pix by: Pradeep Dilrukshana