Asalanka smashes 178 as SSC, NCC go big on first day

Harsha Vithana, who top scored for Bloomfield with 79, on drives against CCC 

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

SSC Captain Charith Asalanka drives during his innings massive knock of 178 against Police SC

SSC Captain Charith Asalanka set the tone for the opening day of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Major Limited Over Inter-Club Cricket Tournament when he smashed a career best 178* off 145 balls,

inclusive of five sixes and 16 fours, as his team went on a run spree against Police SC, scoring 339/4 en route to registering a 31-run win yesterday.

Asalanka figured in two century partnerships – 104 with Avishka Fernando (45) and 114 with Sammu Ashan (51 off 23 balls, six sixes). Police, inspired by half-centuries from Asel Sigera (75) and Supun Madushanka (89 off 48 balls, five sixes), made a bold reply, but fell short of the revised target of 327 in 48 overs.   

Neighbours and arch-rivals NCC were also equal to the task, racing to an imposing 375/5 in their crushing 164 runs win over Nugegoda S&WC. NCC were given a good platform to launch their innings by openers Lahiru Udara (64 off 73 balls) and Hasitha Boyagoda, who scored his maiden one-day century (101 off 120 balls) in a partnership of 120. Boyagoda figured in a further stand of 132 with Kaveen Bandara, who hit a career-best 85 off 64 balls, inclusive of five sixes and four fours. Skipper Angelo Perera (49 off 30 balls) and Chathuranga de Silva (42 off 13 balls, inclusive of three sixes) ensured that NCC went past the 350-run mark. Nugegoda’s response was 211.  

Galle CC, requiring five runs from the last over with three wickets in hand, succumbed to pressure to lose by one run to defending champions Chilaw Marians CC. Chasing a victory target of 242 in 41 overs, Galle were poised to pull off a stunning win, but Chilaw held their nerve to pick up three crucial wickets in the final over bowled by leg-spinner Pulina Tharanga, including two wickets off the last two deliveries to deny Galle the win. Earlier, Chilaw Marians’ total of 241/5 revolved around Kasun Vidura’s maiden one-day century (107* off 102 balls).     

In a low scoring game, BRC defeated Air Force SC by 36 runs at Katunayake, where right-arm fast bowler Mohamed Shiraz took a career best 5/34. In reply to BRC’s total of 112, Air Force were bundled out for 76.

Right-arm medium-fast bowler Usman Ishak, who has played little first-class cricket, turning up for Bloomfield took a career best 5/37 to bring about the downfall of his former club CCC for 196 and give Bloomfield a 78-run victory.   

Ragama CC Skipper Ishan Jayaratne played a hurricane knock of 105* off 72 balls spiced with six sixes and seven fours – his maiden one-day hundred – to power his team to a 35-run win on the Duckworth/Lewis rain rule against Lankan CC. Ragama’s target was reset to 188 off 44 overs and then finished on 222/5 thanks to Jayaratne’s powerful hitting.

With bad light and rain interfering, several of the matches were decided on the Duckworth/Lewis rule, with one match ending in a no-result.    

RESULTS

At Katunayake

BRC 112 (34.1) (Leo Francisco 30, Raminda Wijesooriya 35, Anuk de Alwis 3/33) beat Air Force SC 76 (23.5) (Dinitha Siriwardena 14, Mohamed Shiraz 5/34, Umeshka Morais 2/8) by 36 runs.

At Maggona

Army SC 209 (47.5) (Ashan Randika 63, Thisara Perera 68, Buddika Sanjeewa 2/38, Alankara Silva 2/29, Gamindu Kanishka 2/36, Ruchira Koshitha 3/33)  Badureliya CC 99/3 (18.3) (Sandun Weerakkody 70*, Suminda Lakshan 2/14) No Result (Rain)

At CCC

Bloomfield 274/8 (50) (Sachin Jayawardena 62, Harsha Vithana 79, Mishen Silva 44, Malinda Pushpakumara 3/52) beat CCC 196 (39.2) (Pavan Ratnayake 22, Pawantha Weerasinghe 27, Chamindu Wijesinghe 48*, Malinda Pushpakumara 29, Usman Ishak 5/37, Ian Daniel 2/43) by 78 runs.

At Panadura 

Panadura SC 220 (47.2) (Nimantha Peiris 23, Hashan Chamara 22, Hans Fernando 22, Aruna Dharmasena 25, Nimesh Vimukthi 38, Koshan Danushka 41, Chamod Battage 3/55, Buddika Madushan 3/34, Pasindu Madushan 3/40) lost to Navy SC 154/4 (28) (Buddika Madushan 45, Aravinda Akurugoda 63, Nimesh Vimukthi 2/38) by 35 runs (D/L rule).

At Galle

Chilaw Marians CC 241/5 (41) (Lasith Croospulle 54, Kasun Vidura 107*, Pulina Tharanga 45, Rajith Priyan 2/44, Ravishka Wijesiri 2/40) beat Galle CC 240 (41) (Vinura Dulsara 32, Imesh Udayanga 31, Eranga Ratnayake 59, Raju Gayashan 55, Thikshila de Silva 3/36, Pulina Tharanga 2/49) by one run.

At Thurstan

Lankan CC 229/8 (50) (Sawan Kankanamge 40, Damith Silva 35, Geeth Kumara 73*, Vishva Chaturanga 22, Keshan Wijeratne 36, Binura Fernando 2/35, Amila Aponso 2/43, Janaka Sampath 2/36) lost to Ragama CC 222/5 (44) (Nishan Madushka 28, Janith Liyanage 60*, Ishan Jayaratne 105*, Sanjika Ridma 2/39) by 35 runs (D/L rule).

At NCC

NCC 375/5 (50) (Lahiru Udara 64, Hasitha Boyagoda 101, Kaveen Bandara 85, Angelo Perera 49, Chaturanga de Silva 42*, Vikum Sanjaya 2/61) beat Nugegoda S&WC 211 (40.3) (Malinga Maligaspe 37, Minhaj Jalill 28, Pramud Hettiwatte 36, Rahul Gunasekera 32, Vikum Sanjaya 20, Lahiru Kumara 2/18, Chamika Karunaratne 2/29, Angelo Perera 3/50) by 164 runs. 

At P. Sara Oval

Tamil Union 292/7 (50) (Sithara Gimhan 62, Sadeera Samarawickrama 54, Supun Kavinda 33, Manoj Sarathchandra 22, Dilruwan Perera 55*, Isuru Udana 21, Rajinda Punchihewa 2/72) beat Kalutara TC 126/8 (37) (Gihan Rupasinghe 21*, Rajinda Punchihewa 27*, Pramod Madushan 3/30, Maduka Liyanapathiranage 2/24) by 134 runs (D/L rule).

At FTZ – Katunayake

Negombo CC 224 (47.1) (Lahiru Milantha 63, Angelo Jayasinghe 77, Pasindu Lakshanka 30, Kavindu Ridmal 4/48, Rajeewa Weerasinghe 3/46) beat Ace Capital CC 182 (40) (Irosh Samarasooriya 67, Ishan Rangana 26, Prashan Wickramasinghe 21, Roshen Fernando 2/21, Nisala Tharaka 3/60, Upul Indrasiri 2/42, Nishan Peiris 3/29) by 42 runs.

At SSC

SSC 339/4 (50) (Avishka Fernando 45, Charith Asalanka 178*, Nuwanidu Fernando 41, Sammu Ashan 51, Sujan Mayura 2/64, Manjula Jayawardana 2/62) beat Police SC 295/9 (48) (Lakshan Rodrigo 39, Shehan Fernando 20, Asel Sigera 75, Saman Kumara 31, Supun Madushanka 89, Himesh Ramanayake 2/76, Prabath Jayasuriya 3/42, Tharindu Ratnayake 2/64, Jeffrey Vandersay 2/42) by 31 runs (D/L rule).

At Welagedera

Kurunegala YCC 180/9 (47) (Muditha Premadasa 21, Dilshan Kollure 24, Ravindra Karunaratne 25, Lahiru Jayaratne 29, Sanjeewan Priyadharshana 23, Udith Madushan 2/47, Chaminda Bandara 5/39, Akash Senaratne 2/18) beat Saracens SC 148/7 (41) (Promod Maduwantha 45, Hashen Ramanayake 40, Nimasara Atharagalla 3/32) by six runs (D/L rule).  

At Colts

Colts 263/9 (50) (Sangeeth Cooray 20, Dhananjaya Lakshan 41, Jehan Daniel 79, Harsha Rajapaksa 50, Kavishka Anjula 29, Dilesh Gunaratne 3/44, Sachitra Serasinghe 3/45) beat Moors SC 176/9 (40.3) (Mahela Udawatte 63, Adeesha Thilanchana 55*, Dhananjaya Lakshan 2/38, Sangeeth Cooray 3/39) by 74 runs (D/L rule).