Kalupahana puts Windies bowlers to the sword with fabulous 150*

Sri Lanka’s Vihas Thewmika helped Dinura Kalupahana in a century stand of 114

• Sri Lanka pile up 432-8 decl in first Under-19 4-day Youth test 

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lankan batsman Dinura Kalupahana exults after reaching 150

Sri Lanka’s Malsha Tharupathi swings to leg for runs during his innings of 65

Dinura Kalupahana is one of the few players in the Sri Lanka Under-19 squad of 20 who has had the benefit of playing first-class cricket. He made his first-class debut for SSC this current season and has a half-century to his name in three matches. 

Yesterday at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium he used that experience to perfection to play a majestic innings of 150* to give Sri Lanka the upper hand on the second day of the ongoing first Under-19 4-day Youth test against the West Indies.

Thanks largely to Kalupahana and two late order batsmen Malsha Tharupathi and Vihas Thewmika each of whom figured in century partnerships with him, Sri Lanka piled up an imposing 432-8 declared. By stumps brought forward by 13 overs due to bad light West Indies had replied with 27-1 having lost opener Adrian Weir to Thewmika for 15.

The day however belonged to Kalupahana, the former Mahinda College, Galle cricketer whose unbeaten half-century won him the Player of the Match award in the first Under-19 ODI against West Indies. Showing great resolve Kalupahana wore down the West Indies bowling while building up two century partnerships towards the latter part of the innings which only mounted the frustrations on the tourists. The West Indies had only themselves to blame when wicket-keeper Jewel Andrew dropped a catch offered by Kalupahana off Tarrique Edward at 26 in the tenth over of the day. Had that chance been accepted it would have been a different story to the day.    

The day however began well for the West Indies when seamer Isai Thorne dismissed overnight batsman Ravisha Nethsara off the third ball without adding to his score of 31. West Indies picked up two further wickets to have Sri Lanka six down for 215, and would have fancied bowling the home side out for under 250.

But it was not to be, as Tharupathi and then Thewmika consolidated the Lanka innings in partnerships with Kalupahana. Tharupathi, the former Madampe MMV all-rounder who represents Moors SC in T20 cricket, struck eight fours and two sixes in compiling a hard hit 76 off 58 balls in a stand of 103 off 124 balls.

Thurstanite Thewmika then associated himself in a further partnership of 114 off 175 balls. Kalupahana who was eight short of a century at tea, eventually reached three figures off 179 balls (10 fours) and continued to pile on the runs in the company of Thewmika. He moved to his 150 off 229 balls with the aid of 16 fours and two sixes and at the fall of Thewmika’s wicket for 35 (88 balls, 2 fours), Sri Lanka closed their innings at 432-8. The match continues on its third day today with West Indies trailing Sri Lanka by 405 runs.

Scores: Sri Lanka (Under-19) 432-8 decl. (o/n 163-3) (Pulindu Perera 71, Sineth Jayawardene 34, Ravishan Nethsara 31, Dinura Kalupahana 150*, Malsha Tharupathi 65, Vihas Thewmika 35, Isai Thorne 2/58, Nathan Sealy 2/100, Tarrique Edward 3/99)

West Indies (Under-19) 27-1 at close.