Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ Cricket 

By Reemus Fernando 

St. Thomas’ College Matara have started the year as the undisputed leaders of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ cricket tournament as the team captained by Pesandu Sanjan have averaged 14.94 points to top the Group ‘Y’ points table.

The outright victory in the year end match over Tissa Central Kalutara and the first innings win over St. Sebastian’s Katuneriya on the new year day have further cemented their top position.

The Thomians are the only team to have recorded two outright victories in their group.

Skipper Pesandu Sanjan has guided the team from the front and is the leading scorer of both the Tier ‘A’ and ‘B’ segments of the Under 19 Division I cricket tournament.

He has scored 551 runs at an amazing average of 137.75. His total includes four centuries, the highest by a batsman in the Under 19 Division I tournament. His highest knock of 141 runs came in the match against Tissa.

Not may batsmen have scored centuries when the tournament reaches the halfway mark. St. Thomas’ have four more matches in the tournament proper. It will be interesting to see how the lads from Matara perform against formidable opponents Mahinda and Thurstan who are closely following the table leaders in the second and third positions respectively. Holy Cross who are struggling at the bottom of the points table and Ananda are their other two opponents in the group.

In group ‘X’, Isipatana are the table leaders. They have scored two outright victories. They scored back to back victories last month to secure the top position in the group after a six wicket defeat at the hands of St. Aloysius’ put their position in jeopardy.

Devapathiraja have averaged over 10 points to be in the second position despite two of their matches ending without a result. Devapathiraja,  Dharmaraja and St. Aloysius’ are the only teams to have scored outright victories in their group. St. Sylvester’s are at the bottom of the table after suffering two defeats in the tournament proper. They have conceded two other defeats against Division I teams in traditional matches.