CCC’s Abeyratne thwarts Saracens SC with defiant 88 not out

BRC’s left-arm spinner Duvindu Tillakaratne (with ball in hand), son of former Sri Lanka Test captain Hashan Tillakaratne, returns to the pavilion after taking six NCC wickets for 63 runs on the second day of the Premier Super Eight match at Katunayake yesterday

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Wicket-keeper/batsman Lasitha Abeyratne came to CCC’s rescue with a fighting knock of 88 not out off 147 balls (9 fours, 1 six) to give the defending champions an overall lead of 266 after they had trailed Saracens SC by 41 runs in the first innings on the second day of the Premier Super Eight second round continued yesterday. CCC ended the day on 307-7 after being 169-5 at one stage.

Sri Lanka fast bowler Kasun Rajitha who caused the damage to the CCC in the first innings with five wickets, added a further four to his overall tally to make it nine so far for the match. Unlike on the first day when seamers had a field day with 17 wickets tumbling, the SSC surface had somewhat settled down and an interesting run chase is on the cards today when Saracens take strike for a second time. 

Earlier in the day former Sri Lanka fast bowlers Lahiru Gamage and Lahiru Madushanka, and Sri Lanka left-armed Vishwa Fernando, took all 10 Saracens SC wickets to dismiss them for 183.

Ragama CC held the whip in their fixture against Colts, leading by 285 runs with four second innings wickets in hand. Their two top order Sri Lankan batters, Lahiru Thirimanne and Roshen Silva, found some form each hitting a 50 apiece as Ragama ended the day on 190-6.  

Sashika Dulshan, the 20-year-old slow left-arm bowler from St. Servatius College, Matara, playing in only his third first-class match, was the destroyer of the Colts batting, limiting them to 163 in reply to Ragama’s first innings of 258. Dulshan finished with career best figures of 6 for 45 surpassing his previous best of 5/26 against Lankan CC last season.

Slow left-arm spinner Duvindu Tillakaratne, son of former Sri Lanka Test captain Hashan Tillakaratne, gave BRC a 41-run first innings lead when he captured six NCC wickets for 63 runs. In reply to BRC’s first innings of 316, NCC were all out for 275 with Lahiru Udara and Chamika Karunaratne each scoring nineties apiece. 

NCC hit back in the second innings through their quick bowlers Dilesh Gunaratne and Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Kumara, reducing BRC to 42-5 by stumps, resulting an overall lead of 83 with five wickets including that of skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa (who scored a century in the first innings) intact.  

Former Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando returned figures of 4 for 71 to dismiss Sri Lanka Army for 216 and give Chilaw Marians a 53-run first innings lead. Former Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal top scored for Army with 62 off 99 balls (8 fours). 

The Army bounced back to take five Marians wickets for 85 in the second innings, leading by 138 runs with five wickets in hand going into the third and final day today. Leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna has caused their destruction so far with four wickets.

In the Plate matches that began yesterday Sri Lanka Test batsman Dhananjaya de Silva produced a career best performance for Tamil Union taking seven Moors SC wickets for 59 runs with his off-breaks to dismiss the opponents for 206. De Silva also passed the 100-wicket milestone in first-class cricket with the first wicket he took in that spell – of Mohamed Shamaz for 23. Tamils had lost three wickets for 37 by stumps.

Sri Lanka all-rounder and SSC captain Dasun Shanaka hammered 112 off 144 balls with 10 fours and four sixes in SSC’s total of 332 against Lankan CC.

In the third Plate match that began yesterday Negombo CC left-arm spinner Upul Indrasiri took 5 for 65 to dismiss Badureliya CC for 267.