Anticlimactic draw at 73rd Battle of the Golds

Tuesday, 1 April 2025 01:48 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dialog Axiata Masterbrand and Strategy Head – Brands Aaqib Reyal handing over the trophy to the two Captains – Duranka Silva of Sri Sumangala College (left) and Isuru Fernando of Moratu Maha Vidyalaya (right) – along with the two Principals Raweendra Pushpakumara (Sri Sumangala College) and Ruwan Arambepola (Moratu Maha Vidyalaya)

The 73rd Battle of the Golds between traditional rivals Sri Sumangala Panadura and Moratu MV concluded in an anticlimactic draw at De Zoysa Stadium in Moratuwa, with the final day’s play characterised by an excessively defensive approach from Moratu MV.

Resuming from their overnight score of 87 for 4, Moratu MV adopted ultra-defensive tactics that drained all excitement from the prestigious encounter. Their batsmen crawled to 217 for 7, facing a marathon 121 overs before bad light brought an early end to proceedings.

Sanjana Seneviratne led Moratu MV’s batting with a patient 66, while Sandun Suwaris remained unbeaten on 50. Sithum Silva contributed 31 and Isuru Nidarshana added 25 to the total. For Sri Sumangala Panadura, Bihanga Silva claimed 2 wickets for 22 runs, while Sadew Senanayake picked up 2 wickets for 62 runs. The match had promised more after the opening exchanges. In their first innings, Sri Sumangala Panadura managed 144, with Rusith Jayawardena top-scoring with 53. Support came from Sandeep Wijeratne (18), Bihanga Silva (16), and Duranka Silva (15). Moratu MV’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Isuru Nidarshana (3/25) and Sanjana Seneviratne (3/37), with Nishitha Fernando adding 2 wickets for 35 runs.

Moratu MV had initially struggled in their first innings, being dismissed for a paltry 87, which gave Sri Sumangala Panadura a golden opportunity to press for victory with their 57-run first-innings.

This encounter was powered by Dialog Axiata PLC, the leading connectivity provider in the country as part of their commitment to powering the champions of tomorrow.

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