A match bag of eleven wickets including a hat trick by skipper Daham Venusara de Silva and a 150 ball 98 (13 boundaries) by vice captain Janidu Bandara were the highlights of the 8th Golden Battle of Ruhuna between Rajapaksa Central and Vijitha Central which ended in a draw at the Uyanwatta stadium yesterday.
Rajapaksa Central invited to bat first recovered from a disastrous 55/6 to reach a respectable 167 with the help of a 55 run 7th wicket partnership between Charith Ishara and Isuru Lochana which was aided by a number of dropped catches. Isuru Lochana topped scored with 32 runs while Daham Venusara and Janidu Bandara captured four wickets each.
Vijitha Central continuing from their overnight score of 35/3 were able to declare their first essay at 200/8 due to a 52 run 5th wicket partnership between Janidu and Daham Venusara (29) and a 51 run sixth wicket partnership between Janidu and Lahiru Kosala (15).
Tharindu Ushan and Dileesha Shehan captured two wickets each. Daham Venusara captured seven wickets while Janidu Bandara took two wickets to restrict Rajapaksa Centrals second innings to 123 with just two overs of the game left. Daham dismissed Jinnetha Malith, Rajapaksa Central’s skipper Chamika Shehan and Charith Ishara in successive balls to have the visitors reeling with three wickets down for just five runs on the board but wicket keeper Pasan Sathsara (39) and opener Udara Hansaka defied the bowlers to put on a 53 run 4th wicket partnership to deprive Vijithians from forcing a decision.
Rajapaksa Central 167 in 77.1 overs
(Charith Ishara 30, Isuru Lochana 32, Pivithuru Piyadasun 27
Daham Venusara 4/35, Sumudu Prabath 4/54, Ramesh Weligamage 2/30 )and 123 in 51.5 overs ( Udara Hansaka 31, Pasan Sathsara 39, Pivithuru Piyadsun 23 not out
Daham Venusara 28/7, Janidu Bandara 2/28 )Vijitha Central 200/8 dec in 62 overs
(Janidu Bandara 98, Daham Venusara 29, Hiruna Muthukumarana 19 not out ,Tharindu Ushan 2/34, Dileesha Shehan 2/52)