Colts, Ragama CC, Moors SC, SSC and Badureliya CC notch wins

Sri Lanka’s Test batsman Lahiru Thirimanne scored a century for Ragama CC on his return to first-class cricket

Colts captain Akila Dananjaya took a career best 15 wickets for 135 runs against Kandy Customs SC 

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Colombo Colts, Ragama CC, Moors SC, SSC and Badureliya CC recorded wins with full points in the opening weekend of the Major Club 3-day League matches concluded yesterday.

Colombo Colts CC made a positive start towards winning a Major club title in their 150th year when they scored a comprehensive 222 runs win over Kandy Customs CC at Thurstan College Grounds. Former Sri Lanka spinner Akila Dananjaya captaining Colts returned career best match figures of 15 for 135 to bowl his team to victory. Dananajaya with his varieties of off-spin, leg-spin, googlies, carrom balls and doosras flummoxed the Kandy Customs CC batsmen taking seven wickets (7/74) in their second innings to go with his eight (8/61) in the first innings as they crumbled for scores of 172 and 182. Colts closed their second innings at 313-5 (Sangeeth Cooray 129 off 189 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) leaving Kandy Customs CC a mammoth target of 405 to chase. Only their Indian overseas player Abishek Gupta responded making a valiant 104 off 106 balls (13 fours, 4 sixes) as Dananjaya ravaged through the rest of the batting.

Ragama CC thrashed the daylights out of BRC cruising to a massive 336-run win at the BRC Grounds. A compact century (109 of 150 balls, 12 fours) from Sri Lanka Test batsman Lahiru Thrimanne on his return to first-class cricket after an year saw Ragama CC (302-6 decl) set BRC the tall task of chasing down 456 for victory. But BRC’s response was poor as they were shot out 128 off 25.1 overs falling to the left-arm spin of Shashika Dulshan (5/54) – his ninth five-fer in 20 first-class matches.

Moor SC coasted to an easy innings and 62 runs win over Kurunegala YCC at Moors Grounds. Trailing Moors SC by a mammoth 314 runs in the first innings Kurunegala YCC who resumed their second innings at 224-5 lasted only a further 11.1 overs on the final day before they were dismissed for 252. The main damage to their innings was done by Sri Lanka ‘A’ fast bowler Milan Ratnayake who took 4/50 and seven wickets in the match.

An all-round bowling effort by SSC saw them beat Galle CC by ten wickets at the SSC Grounds. SSC gained a handy 186 runs first innings lead when they were all out for 430 in their first innings continuing from 421-8 with left-arm spinner Umega Chaturanga taking 5/78 – his 16th five-fer in 60 first-class games. Galle CC managed to avert an innings defeat by scoring 216 in their second innings, leaving the formality of knocking off 31 for a win which they did without losing a wicket. Badureliya CC pulled off a close 17-run win over Sebastianites at Surrey Village Grounds, Maggona. In a low scoring game Badureliya CC took a one-run first innings lead and extended it to a win by bowling out Sebastianites for 162 after setting them a target of 180 to chase. From the outset Sebastianites were never in the hunt as they lost wickets at regular intervals falling to the three-pronged spin attack of Chanaka Komasaru (3/55), Indian overseas player Parvez Rasool (4/60) and Alankara Silva (2/18).

Police SC picked up first innings points in their drawn game against NCC at the NCC Grounds. Replying to Police SC’s first innings of 370, NCC started the final day requiring 35 runs with two wickets in hand to gain the vital first innings lead but fell agonisingly short by 12 runs when they were dismissed for 359 with spinners Malinda Pushpakumara (3/107) and Nalin Priyadarshana (4/108) being the main wreckers. NCC fought back to have Police SC five down for 36 in their second innings but fighting centuries from Priyamal Perera (101 off 172 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes) and Ashen Bandara (100 off 146 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) saw them recover to 225-9 declared. NCC made 83-2 in their second innings. Ace Capital CC took first innings points from Bloomfield in a high scoring draw at Bloomfield Grounds. In reply to Bloomfield’s first innings of 304, Ace Capital CC rattled off 479-9 declared with Pawantha Weerasinghe scoring his maiden first-class century (125 off 161 balls, 12 fours, 1 six). In Bloomfield’s second innings of 272-8 captain Nipun Karunanayake (100* off 176 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes) and Manelker de Silva (116 off 139 balls, 11 fours, 2 sixes) - his maiden first-class hundred, scored centuries sharing a stand of 183. Avindu Theekshana who bowls left-arm chinaman returned career best figures of 6/104 to give Chilaw Marians CC’s first innings points over Air Force SC at Katunayake in their drawn game. Air Force SC made 242 and 250 in reply to Chilaw Marians CC’s 327 and 49-1. Airmen Sahil Dias and Movin Subasingha both missed out on scoring centuries by six runs.

Army SC had to be content with first innings points following their drawn game against Nugegoda SWC at Panagoda. Having conceded a first innings lead of 126, Nugegoda SWC scored 218 in their second innings with spinners Kaumal Nanayakkara (5/70) and Shehada (match bag of 10/122) sharing the spoils. Army SC left with 93 to chase, finished on 49-4. In the drawn match played at Panadura, Negombo CC took first innings points off Panadura SC.