Nerveless Karunaratne sends Sri Lanka to the Finals in thriller

A breathtaking final over, a new-ball tug-of-war, perfect yorkers, gargantuan sixes and a triumph for the home team – the second semi-final of the Red Bull Campus Cricket tournament had it all, as Business Management School (BMS), Sri Lanka snuck home in a last-ball finish against University of Sydney, Australia.

 The hosts’ hero was 21-year-old seam-bowling allrounder Chamika Karunaratne, who after having hit a valuable 33 off 29 balls, delivered a nerveless final over, conceding only nine when Australia needed 14 to win. The final delivery – a perfect yorker – sparked jubilation on the field, and on the banks of Galle International Stadium, where BMS students had come to watch their college-mates play. In fact, as soon as it became clear Sri Lanka had won the match, the players found themselves mobbed by fans, while baila music began to tumble out of the stadium sound system.

In contrast to this raucous elation, Sydney’s heartbroken batsmen sat on their haunches on the side of the pitch. Even without the thrilling finish, it had been an eventful match. They had needed four off that final delivery to score the 164 that would have seen them progress to the final. It was a dot ball.

 But that they had got themselves to that position was itself impressive. At one stage it seemed like Sydney’s chase had been waylaid by Sri Lankan disciplined seamers. Though opener Hayden Kerr had struck 54 off 27 balls, the remaining top order batsmen largely failed to find the boundary, as the Sri Lankan bowlers delivered a succession of tight overs. They had needed 67 runs off the last 36 balls, before the Will Lawrence and Joseph Kershaw started hitting out. Even their rapid 48-run stand could not get Sydney across the line, however.

Sri Lanka themselves had been in trouble in their own innings, with the first four wickets falling for no more than 14 runs. Karunaratne put together a 54-run stand with Supeshala Jayathilake, who went on to top-score with 50 off 41 balls. Tilaksha Sumanasiri also hit 40 not out off 22 balls as Sri Lanka reached 163 for 6 in their 20 overs.