By M. Shamil Amit

St. Joseph’s College powered their way to the final of the Under-17 Division One Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament with a close 11-run win over Mahinda College in their semi-final encounter played at the Galle Stadium on Tuesday (4).

St. Joseph’s, invited to take first lease of the wicket were tottering at 101 for six in the 30th over before Miranga Wickramage (45), Dinal Anuradha (24) and Sheran Fonseka (20) took them to a respectable 177.

Mahinda in reply lost their first-four wickets for 50 runs and they were reduced to 94 for six in the 31st over before they slid to 107 for eight.

Osindu Kavindya added 36 runs for the ninth wicket with Kushan Madusha and Mahinda needed 12 runs from the last over.

However, Osindu was run out as St. Joseph’s eventually came out victorious.

St. Joseph’s: 177 in 48 overs (Miranga Wickramage 45, Dinal Anuradha 24, Dunith Wellalage 22, Sheran Fonseka 20, Shevaan Rasool 20, Kushan Madusha 3/17, Subanu Rajapaksa 3/49)

Mahinda: 166 in 49.1 overs (Osindu Kavindya 50, Navod Paranavithana 33, Sithara Guruge 25, Lakshan Gamage 3/43, Dunith Wellalage 2/22, Ashain Daniel 2/31).