Ranatunga rolls back the years
A galaxy of former and present Sri Lanka Test and one-day international cricketers will line up at the R. Premadasa International Stadium today to pay homage to the late Anura Ranasinghe, former Nalanda and Sri Lanka cricketer in a day-night cricket encou
Cricinfo staff
08-Oct-2005
Old Anandians 210 for 5 (Ranatunga 58*) beat Old Nalandians 208 (Jayawardene 109) by five wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Arjuna Ranatunga led the tributes to the late Anura Ranasinghe, by scoring a matchwinning 58 not out in additon to two wickets and a catch, as Old Anandians secured a five-wicket win over their rivals, Nalanda.
Ranatunga headed a galaxy of former and present Sri Lanka Test and one-day international players at the R Premadasa International Stadium, taking time out from his official duties as deputy minister of tourism. He demonstrated that his time in retirement had not blunted his competitive instincts, as he helped bowl Old Nalandians out for 208, before sealing the win with the bat.
Old Nalandians suffered a desperate start to the match, losing three batsmen for 0 as they slumped to 42 for 4, but they were rescued by a bold counterattack from Mahela Jayawardene, whose 109 came from 92 balls and included nine fours and four sixes.
Old Anandians' reply was equally stuttering, as both openers were run out in single figures, but Thilan Samaraweera's 48 set their innings back on track, before Ranatunga appeared to seal the deal.
The teams
Ananda Arjuna Ranatunga, captain (93 Tests/269 ODIs), Sidath Wettimuny (23/35), Ajith de Silva (4/6), Brendon Kuruppu (4/54), Marvan Atapattu (85/231), Chandika Hathurusingha (26/35), Sanjeewa Ranatunga (9/13), Avishka Gunawardena (4/60), Dinuk Hettiaratchi (1/0), Tilan Samaraweera (30/15), Thilan Wijesinghe, Oshadi Weerasinghe, Nishantha Ranatunga (0/2), Hemantha Wickremaratne (0/3), Akalanka Ganegama (0/2), Thilina Kandamby (0/4), Muthumudalige Pushpakumara.
Nalanda Bandula Warnapura, captain (4 Tests/12 ODIs), Lalith Kaluperuma (2/4), Roshan Mahanama (52/213), Asanka Gurusinha (41/147), Gamini Wickremasinghe (3/4), Kumara Dharmasena (31/141), Mahela Jayawardene (71/184), Shantha Kalavitigoda (1/0), Jayantha Seneviratne, Hemantha Devapriya, Keerthi Ranasinghe (0/4), Susantha Karunanayake, Sudharman de Silva, Ishara Amerasinghe, Shammi Silva.
Umpires: Asoka de Silva and Ranmore Martinesz
TV umpire: Sagara Gallage