Sub-District cricket finals: Kalhath Ilippuli Arachige takes 7-45 off 33.5 overs against Mt Waverley
Kalhath Ilippuli Arachige gave one of the great performances of the Sub-District season, taking 7-45 off 33.5 overs against Mt Waverley.
South East
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He has a long name and his bowling effort stretched long into Noble Park scorer Gerry Cameron’s book.
Kalhath Ilippuli Arachige on Saturday gave one of the great performances of the Sub-District season, capturing 7-45 off 33.5 consecutive overs to put the Parkers in a powerful position against Mt Waverley in the semi-final at the Pat Wright Senior Oval.
The right-armer bowled his off-spin briskly, accurately (there were 16 maidens) and all together superbly as Mt Waverley fell for 117 in 67.5 overs.
Ilippuli Arachige — “Kal’’ to everyone at Noble Park — then went out and opened the batting for the 14 overs Noble had to negotiate before the close.
He was 20 not out. Paul Hill was 5 not out and the hosts were 0-27 and steaming towards a grand final appearance in the north-west section.
Ilippuli Arachige, a professional player this season, bowled from the Moodemere St end unchanged in what Noble great Geoff Richardson was quick to hold up as one of the best individual performances from a Noble Park player in Subbies cricket.
In the qualifying final victory over Bayswater last week he had opened the bowling and snared 3-66 off 29 overs.
Mt Waverley chose to bat but was quickly under pressure, with Nilo Perera trapping Michael Millier LBW for four.
Then Ilippuli Arachige got involved, having Andrew Power (11) caught by Noble captain Luke Wintle at slip.
Mt Waverley coach Michael Sheedy (3) attempted to hit the spinner down the ground but got more edge than middle on the ball and it went to Jake Richardson at point.
That left the visitors 3-24. Things didn’t improve much for them.
Kurt Benjamin (27) and Ben Hocking (15) both fell to Kal of the long spell — Hocking to a caught and bowled that spared umpire Neil Croft a clock to the head — and Mt Waverley was 5-76 off 47 overs at tea.
It fought back to be 6-102, only for Paul Evans to shoulder arms to Nilo Perera and have his stumps rattled.
The very next ball keeper Paul Hill, standing up to the sticks, took a sharp catch to remove Jake Rigby.
Ilippuli Arachige took the last three wickets, including innings top scorer Angus Robbins (31), walking off with figures that most bowlers achieve only in their dreams. Perera slipped in with 3-21 off 15 overs.
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