Timely century by Tirimanne

By Srian Obeyesekere

Rumesh Tirimanne took the sails off the Royal bowlers with a timely century to help Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa stave off defeat yesterday at Reid Avenue.

Tirimanne came to the crease when all seemed lost for the Cambrians. He struck 106 after his side was made to follow on with 146 runs behind. The Royal bowlers had got their act together before Tirimanne found an able partner in Marlon Fernando who made 70.

Tirimanne reached the fence on 12 occasions and went over it once while Fernando struck 9 boundaries. Until the duo got together Royal's Haroon Mowjood had dictated terms with the ball. He had run through the Cambrian first innings claiming 6 wickets for only 32 runs.

That was after Royal's 15-year old Kusal Perera had clobbered an unbeaten 119 as the homesters declared their first innings at 256 for 3 wickets. He struck 18 boundaries and one six. He found good support from Malinga Maligaspe (69) and Dimitri Siriwardena (40). Pishan Hewage took 2 wickets for 68 runs.

Royal: 256 for 3 wkts. decl. (Kusal Perera 119 n.o., Malinga Maligaspe 69, Dimitri Siriwardena 40, Pishan Hewage 2 for 68).

Prince of Wales: 110 all out (Sanka Peiris 30, Haroon Mowjood 6 for 32, Charith Fernando 3 for 27) and 247 for 4 wkts (Rumesh Tirimanne 106 n.o., Marlon Fernando 70, Dulanjaya Wijeratne 2 for 72).
