Batsmen make merry on sunny day in Major Club 3-day tournament

• Chandimal scores century in first appearance for Colts

Sahan Kosala scored his second century of the season for Kandy Customs CC

With the rains receding and replaced by bright sunshine batsmen made merry on the opening day of the third weekend in the SLC Major Club 3-day tournament yesterday with as many 5 scoring hundreds and 2 being dismissed in the nervous 90s.

Top of the performances was Test batter Dinesh Chandimal scoring a century in his first appearance for his new club Colts. Chandimal had earlier appeared for NCC and Army SC. Thanks largely to Chandimal’s 34th first-class hundred and former Thomian batsman Ravindu Rasantha’s maiden hundred in first-class cricket coupled with Angelo Mathews’ third consecutive fifty, Colts ended the first day strongly placed at 390-3 in the top of the Group A clash with Ace Capital CC at the Colts grounds. Rasantha (173* off 260 balls, 20 fours) and Chandimal (130 off 119 balls, 16 fours, 2 sixes) put together a stand of 225 for the second wicket. Mathews (70 off 88 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) helped Rasantha in a further stand of 149 for the third wicket. Ace Capital CC have so far used 8 bowlers trying to contain Colts’ run flow.

Defending joint champions SSC were at the receiving end of Kandy Customs CC at Thurstan grounds. Kandy Customs CC choosing to bat first after winning the toss rattled off an imposing 424 scoring at the rate of 5.34 runs per over with the main contributions coming from Sahan Kosala who scored his second century of the season – 128 off 106 balls (15 fours, 5 sixes), Shehan Fernando (68), Roscoe Thattil (58) and Sachitra Perera (44). SSC skipper Prabath Jayasuriya was the pick of the bowlers with 4/160 off 30 overs. By stumps SSC were 19-0 and faces a mountainous task in trying to overhaul the total.

Former Nalanda opener Avishka Perera scored his second century (106 off 164 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes) against the bowling of national cricketers Vishwa Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva and Isuru Udana to help Nugegoda SWC to a challenging total of 292-7 against CCC at the CCC grounds.

Former Sri Lanka wicket-keeper/batsman Niroshan Dickwella hit an entertaining 108 off 104 balls (13 fours, 2 sixes) as NCC were bowled out for 283 by Tamil Union at the P Sara Oval. By stumps Tamil Union had lost four wickets for 117 to trail by 166 runs.

Joint defending champions Police SC were in a strong position to gain a first innings lead at Maggona. The tournament’s leading wicket-taker left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera took 5/47 to dismiss Badureliya SC for 125. By stumps Police SC had progressed to 88-2 to trail by only 37 runs with 8 wickets in hand.

In a bottom of the Group A table clash at Hambantota, Chilaw Marians CC ended the first day at 273-4 against Negombo CC with Lasith Lakshan making a top score of 94 off 168 balls (10 fours, 2 sixes).

The match between Ragama CC and Panadura SC at Panadura was nicely poised at the end of day one. Left-arm seamer Mohamed Dilshad took 5/44 to dismiss Ragama CC for 161. By the close Panadura SC had lost four wickets for 108 and required a further 53 runs to gain a first innings lead.

Former St. Servatius Matara cricketer Risira Weerasuriya missed out on a maiden first-class century by one run when he was dismissed for 99 in BRC’s total of 230 against Kurunegala YCC at the Welagedara Stadium. Weerasuriya struck 6 fours and one six in his 235-ball knock. Kurunegala YCC in reply lost both their openers to be 19-2 at stumps. All matches will continue on its second day today.

 – (ST)