Royal facing heavy defeat

Royal College 94 (Peiris 3-16) and 199 for 6 trail St Thomas College 340 (Peiris 125) by 47 runs
Scorecard

St Thomas College were on course for their first victory over Royal College for six years, after another day of dominance in the "Battle of the Blues" at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. By the close, Royal College were still 47 runs adrift of St Thomas's first-innings 340, with just four second-innings wickets still standing.

For the second day running, St Thomas's star player was A Peiris, who converted his overnight 64 into a fine 125, before treading on his own wicket after facing 255 balls and cracking 15 fours and a six. He received staunch support from M Mazahir, who was eventually run out for 57.

Royal College made a better fist of their second innings, but that was thanks mainly to S Senaratne, who put his first-innings duck behind him to battle to the close for an unbeaten 92. At 97 for 6, a thumping two-day defeat was on the cards, but D Wijeratne's unbeaten 39 kept the innings alive, and carried the game into a third day.