The spin quartet of Shasheen Fernando, Asif Mackie, Praveen Herath and Julian de Silva guided St. Peter’s College to a fantastic championship double as they beat St. Anthony’s College, Kandy by a massive 102 runs to defend the Under-15 Division I Championship in an all-saints final played at CCC Ground on Friday.

Just a day after their ‘B’ team won the Under-15 Division II championship at the same venue, the bowlers of Peterite’s ‘A’ team restricted their opponents to just 96 runs to celebrate the first double title (Under-15 Division I and II).

Leaving no space for the Anthonians to breathe life on a deathbed for batsmen, the spinners picked up wickets at regular intervals. The Anthonians’ formidable batting duo Yohan Woods and Manoj Sarathchandra could add only 12 and 15 runs respectively to the total after Thushan Hettige, the other reputed top order bat, was out for a first ball duck caught by wicket keeper Lahiru Milantha off the bowling of Hemal Seneviratne.

It was the only wicket to fall for pace as Petes introduced spin from the very second over during the run chase.

After the first three wickets fell for 47 runs, it was one-way traffic.

Except for a run a ball 24 from Tharaka Jayasinghe, there were no scores over 20. Off-spinner Shasheen Fernando was the pick of the bowlers for the Petes with three wickets for 21 runs in his ten over spell while off- spinner Herath and leg-spinner de Silva and skipper Mackie shared two wickets apiece. Shasheen was adjudged the Man of the Match later for his three wickets and 28 runs batting as the opener.

However, the day didn’t look to be so one sided when the Anthonians began impressively. They had Petes struggling for runs. At one stage St. Peter’s were back to the wall with just 84 runs on the board for the loss of six wickets. But a fighting 45 runs from number seven batsman Ranitha Liyanarachchi, who scored two fours and two sixes in his knock, and an unbeaten last wicket partnership of 23 runs from Hemal Seneviratne and Ranga Suraweera helped them post 198 for the loss of nine wickets.

St. Peter’s reached the finals of al three divisions in the Under-15 tournament. While their A and B teams won the Division I and II championships, their C team ended as runners-up in Division III.

Scores

St. Peter’s 198 for nine (50)

Shasheen Fernando 28, Lahiru Milantha 24, Ranitha Liyanarachchi 45, Hemal Seneviratne 24 n.o; Kanishka Ranaraja 3/61, Thushan Hettige 3/26, Bhathiya Liyanage 2/12

St. Anthony’s 96 all out (44.1)