• 76th drawn encounter in the series 
• Rain marred all days in first-ever 3-day game

The iconic 95th Battle of the Maroons (BOM) big match ended in a draw which saw a fair run fest in 3-days of action where rain played spoilsport everyday with plenty of playing time gone, with both Nalanda College and Ananda College sharing honours of the Dr. N.M. Perera Memorial Challenge Trophy at the Singhalese Sports Club Grounds (SSC) yesterday (2). Nalanda College will be the retainers of the trophy courtesy of their emphatic 9-wicket victory at the 92nd Battle of the Maroons in 2022. 

Nalandians led by Sadew Samarasinghe gave a telling reply to Ashinsa Nainayake’s Anandians who declared Saturday Day-2 with an absolutely memorable century by the birthday boy Dinada Athalage who notched up a historic 131 off 287 deliveries to go down in Battle of the Maroons history books as the fourth highest individual score in the big match series since 1924. For Nalanda, it was Nadul Jayalath who rose to the occasion as Man of The Moment to hit 111 runs with 12 boundaries to create the pathway for a great innings for the Campbell Place lads.  Sharada Jayarathne, the pick of the bowlers, scalped 4 wickets for Ananda. Nalanda declared their 1st innings at 325/6 surpassing 1-run of their rivals 1st essay.

Ananda’s winless drought continues for the 23rd year. Their last win came in 2003 under Daminda Kularatne. The 48th Limited-overs game will be played on 15 March at the SSC.

Nalanda College 1st innings

Nadul Jayalath c Athalage b Jayarathne 111

Sadew Samarasinghe (c) b Withanapathirana 40

Manupa Manmitha c Perera b Nainayake 23

Osanda Pamuditha c Zoysa b Jayarathne 19

Nemindu Akmeemana c Sellaperuma b Jayarathne 43

Gevindu Manamperi c Athalage b Jayarathne 13

Manasa De Silva (wk) Not Out 25

Malsha Fernando Not Out 34 

Extras: (LB 2, NB 6, WD 2, B 7, P 0)- 17

Did not bat: Thisara Dewdunu, Hasith Rathnayake, Punsara Rajakaruna

Fall of wickets: 1-90 (Sadew Samarasinghe,30.2 ov), 2-129 (Manupa Manmitha,37.2 ov), 3-161 (Osanda Pamuditha,48.5 ov), 4-232 (Nadul Jayalath,67.3 ov), 5-258 (Gevindu Manamperi,73.1 ov), 6-265 (Nemidu Akmeemana,79.1 ov)

Total – 325/6d (88.4)

Bowling: Sharada Jayarathna (17-4-58-4), Kithma Withanapathirana (22-2-71-1), Ashinsa Nainayake (14-0-53-1)

Ananda College 2nd innings

Danindu Sellapperuma 4

Nethula Edirimanne 18

Mihin Munasinghe not out 0

Extras: 5

Did not bat: Ashinsha Nainayaka (c), Kithma Withanapathirana, Dinada Athalage, Kenul De Zoys,  Lithma Perera, Sharada Jayarathne, Kaveesha Mendis, Chamathka Irusha

Total – 27/1 (7) & 324/6d (92.2)

Result – Match Drawn

Tally: 

Ananda: 12 

Nalanda: 7 

Drawn: 76

95th Battle of the Maroons – Special awards

Best Batsman – Nadul Jayalath (Nalanda)

Best Bowler – Sharada Jayarathne (Ananda)

Best Fielder – Thisara Dewdunu (Nalanda)

Best All-Rounder –  Dinada Athalage (Ananda)

Player of the Match – Dinada Athalage (Ananda)

PHOTOS ISHAN SANJEEWA/VENURA CHANDRAMALITHA