In a one-sided one-day cricketer encounter, Royal International School (RIS) Kurunegala emerged victorious over Asian Grammar School (AGS) Colombo by a staggering 145 runs in an Under-15 match as part of what they call the Mini Battle Cricket Encounter at the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment Ground in Boyagane, Kurunegala.
Opting to bat first, RIS set a formidable target with a score of 235 for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 50 overs highlighted by a splendid performance from captain Rakisha Ratnayake, who scored a brisk 66 runs and featured in a 50-run partnership with Chethana Chandeepa who made 38.
Ratnayake struck 11 boundaries while Chandeepa hit seven fours.
In response, AGS started off aggressively, trying to score quickly. However, they took too many risks and lost two wickets cheaply at crucial moments. They struggled to find their footing against RIS’s formidable bowling attack spearheaded by Shabith Ahmed whose exceptional spell brought him six wickets for a mere 26 runs,
They were eventually bowled out for just 90 runs in 20.3 overs.
Asian Grammar School’s captain Sanuja Sanen put up some resistance as he made 32 striking one six and five fours.
The victory marks a promising start for RIS in their cricketing journey, under the guidance of head of sports, Assistant Principal Upathissa Jaysuriya, head coach Janith Perera, with support from assistant coach Dhananjaya Bandara and master-in-charge Chaminda Rahubadda.
This triumph not only highlights their talent but also sets a high benchmark for future competitions according to the coaching staff.
Chief scores:
Royal International School 235/7 in 50 overs (Rakeesha Sameen 66, Chethana Chandeepa 38, Manuja de Silva 22, Senuja Sasen 2-35)
Asian Grammar School 90 in 20.3 overs (Senuja Sasen 32, Shabith Ahamed 6-26, Sajahan Hamdan 2-29)
