S. Thomas’ College adopted an ultra-cautious approach to reach 203 for four wickets at stumps on the opening day of the historic Battle of the Blues against arch rivals Royal College at the SSC Ground on Thursday.

‎After being put in to bat, the Thomian top order proceeded at a snail’s pace as they consumed a large number of overs to build their innings.

‎Openers Jaden Amaraweera and Avinash Fernando laid the foundation with a patient first wicket stand of 110 runs, occupying as many as 40 overs on either side of the lunch interval. The pair could have been separated earlier when Royal’s Vimath Dinsara dropped Avinash when the score was 85. Avinash, who was then on 39, was given a reprieve off the bowling of Gagan Gamage.

‎Making full use of the chance, Avinash went on to complete a half century. He faced 145 balls for his 50 which included five boundaries before being caught by Yasindu Dissanayake off the bowling of Gamage.

‎Amaraweera was the first to depart after compiling a patient 52 off 109 deliveries with seven fours. He was caught by Mahiru Kodituwakku off the bowling of spinner Himaru Deshan.

‎Following the two wickets that fell within the space of two overs, Methuka Gunarathna and Aaron Kodituwakku attempted to steady the innings with another long vigil at the crease. The pair batted for 28 overs but managed to add only 37 runs.

‎Aaron endured a long stay for his 12 runs, facing 89 balls before falling to the spin of Ramiru Perera. Methuka contributed 44 runs off 116 balls with six boundaries before being dismissed later in the day.

‎At the close of play, Reshon Solomon remained unbeaten on 19 after facing 70 balls, while Raphael Hettige was not out on 12 as the Thomians ended a slow but steady first day on 203 for four. (RF)

Spinner Damesh Mathishan continued his remarkable run with the ball, claiming another impressive match haul of 13 wickets, but St. Joseph Vaz’s College had to settle for conceding first innings points to St. Sebastian’s College, Katuneriya in their Under-19 Division I Tier ‘B’ cricket encounter which concluded on Wednesday.

‎It was the fourth occasion this season that Mathishan captured ten wickets or more in a match, underlining his consistency as one of the standout bowlers in the tournament.

‎While Mathishan dominated with the ball, Deneth Sithumina produced the most notable batting performance of the day, carrying his bat for an unbeaten 154 for Moratu Vidyalaya in their Tier ‘B’ clash against St. Thomas’ College, Matara. Sithumina faced 242 deliveries and struck ten fours and five sixes in a patient and commanding innings.

‎The Matara side earlier compiled 332 runs in their first innings with Thathsara Dewmith making a valuable contribution of 107. In reply, Moratu Vidyalaya posted a solid 340 for six wickets.

‎The most impressive team performance of the day came from Isipatana College, who secured a four-wicket victory over St. Sylvester’s College. Spinners Thithira Sansira and Menula Dambakumbura made excellent use of the conditions at the BRC ground to dominate the match. Sansira finished with an outstanding match haul of 11 wickets while Dambakumbura supported well with seven scalps.

‎For the visitors, a fighting knock of 140 by Vidusara Ganegoda proved to be in vain.

‎Meanwhile in the Under-19 Division I Tier ‘A’ tournament, Nalanda College and Mahanama College recorded first innings victories in their respective matches.

‎The match between Nalanda (351/9) and Richmond College (244) featured an unusual coincidence as a batsman from each side was dismissed in the nineties. Ranmith Denuwara fell agonisingly short of a century with 99 in the Nalanda innings, while Ameesha Rasanjana was dismissed for 96 in Richmond’s reply. Nalanda later progressed to 130 for four in their second innings.

‎Mahanama College, considered one of the strongest teams in the Tier ‘A’ competition this season, also secured first innings points against Maris Stella College, scoring 289 in reply to Maris Stella’s 264. (RF)

India’s players swept all the women’s categories in ESPNcricinfo’s annual awards for individual performances in 2025, reflecting a year in which the team won their first World Cup title.

While Jemimah Rodrigues won the women’s ODI batting honours for her awe-inspiring, cramp-battling century that knocked Australia out of the World Cup. Deepti  Sharma grabbed the ODI bowling award for her match turning five for in the final against South Africa. And Harmanpreet Kaur took the captain’s award for winning the world title and for sealing white-ball series (ODIs and T20Is) in England and winning her second WPL title with Mumbai Indians. Her title clinching 66in the WPL final against Delhi Capitals took the women’s T20 leagues batting award.

South Africa Women had to deal with the bitter heartbreak of losing yet another World Cup final, but the men, who for long fell agonizingly short of the big prizes, took home the World Test Championship,  eating Australia by five wickets in the final at Lord’s. They were rewarded by our jurors too:Aiden Markram won the Test batting award for his epic fourth-innings hundred in that final, while Temba Bavuma,  who made a vital 66 while nursing a hamstring injury during that chase, was picked as the men’s captain of the year for leading his side to the WTC mace, to a sweep of India in Tests in India, and for ODI series wins in Australia and England.

Fast bowler Marco Jansen, one of the bowling architects of South Africa’s 2-0 win in India, narrowly lost the Test bowling award to the incandescent Mitchell Starc, who decimated England with 7 for 58 in Perth on the opening day of the Ashes.