All-rounders Geeth Kumara with an unbeaten 151 and Umesh Karunaratne with a good double of 53 runs and a match bag of 8 wickets helped Thurstan College, Colombo to a massive innings and 174 runs victory over Zahira College, Colombo in the Inter School First XI match concluded at Thurstan Ground yesterday.

Apart from Kumara, Karunaratne and Buddhi Samarawickrama contributed with half-centuries as Thurstan amassed 330 for 4 declared.

In reply, Zahira struggled on both innings and were rattled for 67 runs and 89 runs respectively. Spinner Karunaratne broke the backbone of Zahira batting with an impressive five wicket haul in the fist innings. Karunaratne then shared six wickets with Geeth Kumara to bundle out the opposition for 89 runs to record their sixth outright win of the season.

With six wins Thurstan are the favourites to clinch the Two day championship.

Thurstan 330 for 4 decl in 71.3 overs (Indika Massalage 20, Shehan Kamalean 16, Geeth Kumara 151 n.o, Umesh Karunaratne 53, Buddhi Samarawickrama 65)

Zahira (38 for 4 overnight) 67 all out in 37.1 overs (M. Ghouse 14; Umesh Karunaratne 5/32, Shalaka Rangajeewa 2/16, Ravindu Wijeratne 3/06) and 89 all out in 36.4 overs (M. Riyal Ul Haq 20, M. Ghouse 14; Umesh Karunaratne 3/37, Ravindu Wijeratne 2/13, Geeth Kumara 3/14)

St. Peter’s College posted 147 for 5 at close in reply to St. Benedict’s College’s 140 in their Inter School match commenced at Bambalapitiya yesterday.

After Nilochana Perera and Vinod Perera shared 8 wickets between them to restrict the visitors to 140 Srimantha Wijeratne stroked 58 runs for the Petes to take the edge.

St. Benedict’s 140 all out in 49.1 overs (Dilanka Auwardt 36, A. Fernando 60; Nilochana Perera 5/30, Vinod Perera 3/53, Anuk Silva 2/09)

St. Peter’s 147 for 5 at close in 43 overs (Srimantha Wijeratne 58, Anuk Silva 36, Ruwan Wickramanayake 22; Dilanka Auwardt 2/48, Surein Silva 2/36)

Lahiru Gomes compiled a huge 170 laced with four sixes and 22 fours (in 173 balls) as Asoka Vidyalaya amassed a massive 430 all out on the first day of their Inter School First XI match against Ananda Sastralaya at Beddagana yesterday.

While Gomes cracked 170 runs, Nideesh Priyashantha, Dinuka Rukmal and Chanaka Hemachandra contributed with half-centuries for Asoka to post their highest score of the season.

In reply Ananda Sastralaya were 3 for no lose at close.

Asoka Vidyalaya 430 all out in 85 overs (Lahiru Gomes 170, Nideesh Priyashantha 56, Dinuka Rukmal 53, Chanaka Hemachandra 50, Vindika Chandrasiri 33; Shiran Bhathiya 5/137, Manila Thevinda 2/102, Kosala Randika 2/33)

Ananda Sastralaya 3 for no lose

Richmond College commenced the year 2008 with a moral boosting victory as they beat Dharmasoka College by 7 wickets in their Inter School First XI match concluded at Ratgama on Tuesday.

While paceman Lahiru Rajantha and off spinner Asitha Weerasuriya had match bags 5 wickets and six wickets respectively, half-centuries from Mahesh Niroshan (60) and Yasoda Lanka (56) helped Richmond take a commanding lead in the first innings.

Needing 78 runs to win after restricting the fighting Sokians to 170 Richmond knocked off the target in just 15 overs with 7 wickets to spare.

On the first day, off spinner Weerasuriya picked up four wickets for 32 runs and restricted Dharmasoka for 111 runs to set the stage for Richmond victory.

Dharmasoka 111 all out in 33.5 overs (Lahiru Ashen 40, C. Chathuranga 33, R.T.G. Soysa 16; Lahiru Rajantha 2/34, Asith Weerasuriya 4/32, Supun Wijewardena 2/06) and 170 all out in 62.3 overs (R.N. Uththamadasa 25, Levan Moshin 24, A. Kavinda 29, R.T.G. Soysa 32; Lahiru Rajantha 3/57, T. Nadeera 3/34, Asith Weerasuriya 2/25)