Decisive weekend for SSC

 Dimuth Karunaratne to play his final match for SSC before migrating to Australia 

• Play Maitland Place rivals NCC in final group game
• Dimuth Karunaratne’s swansong before migrating

It will be a decisive weekend for joint defending champions SSC when they confront arch rivals NCC in their final Group B match of the SLC Major League 3-day at the NCC grounds starting today which they must win and get full points, if they are to avoid relegation to Tier B next season.

The bottom two clubs of each of the two groups will be relegated at the end of the current season and SSC who are second from the bottom of Group B are not too happily placed as they fight to remain in the mainstream.

Last weekend, they recorded their first win in seven matches defeating Tamil Union by an innings and 10 runs. Although the win increased their points tally it didn’t improve their position.

SSC’s major problem has been the unavailability of several of their key players who have been called up for national duty. Last week their captain Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando and Nuwanidu Fernando – all of them members of Sri Lanka’s ODI squad for the ongoing two-match series against Australia were available for the fixture against Tamil Union and made noteworthy contributions towards SSC’s win. But for this crucial game against NCC the trio along with Kusal Mendis will not be available as their services will be required for the second ODI today. The loss of these players will be a big setback for SSC against a side like NCC who are on top of their game at the moment. SSC will also miss young all-rounder Chamidu Wickramasinghe who is nursing a hamstring injury. NCC are without Pathum Nissanka, but will be strengthened with the return of Lahiru Kumara who has been released from the squad.

This match will also be former Sri Lanka Test player Dimuth Karunaratne’s last hurrah for SSC before he migrates to Australia. Karunaratne retired from international cricket at the end of the second Test against Australia at Galle last week.SSC’s battle is with Nugegoda SWC who are third from the bottom of Group B but have a game in hand and have a near two-point lead over them. Nugegoda SWC meet BRC in their match beginning today at De Soysa Stadium, Moratuwa. A win with full points for Nugegoda SWC will virtually seal SSC’s fate. Nugegoda SWC’s final match is against Tamil Union at Panadura.    

NCC, the leaders of Group B with a 23-point advantage over the second placed team in the group Moors SC, already have a foot in the final with two matches in hand. After SSC they play Kurunegala YCC in Kurunegala in their final game the following weekend.

Third placed CCC have a good chance of putting up a good challenge to NCC when they host wooden spoonists Kandy Customs CC at CCC grounds. Moors SC, beaten by NCC last weekend, travel to the Welagedara Stadium in Kurunegala to meet Kurunegala Youth CC.

In Group A it’s a three-cornered tussle between Colts, Bloomfield and Ace Capital CC for the top berth. Group leaders Colts don’t have a game this weekend, which allows second and third placed Bloomfield and Ace Capitals CC with two matches in hand to displace the leaders. Bloomfield hosts Panadura SC at Bloomfield grounds, while Ace Capital CC plays Police SC at Police grounds.

This weekend will be a vital one for Chilaw Marians CC, Negombo CC and Ragama CC too as they try to avoid relegation from Group A. Negombo CC, second from the bottom play Badureliya SC at the FTZ grounds, Katunayake.

Chilaw Marians CC who took on bottom of the table Ragama CC at Maggona in their match begun yesterday, did well to score 259-9 by stumps thanks largely to Suminda Lakshan who struck a 106-ball 73 (11 fours) to lift them from 131-6. Opening bat Kasun Vidura contributed 60. The match continues on its second day today. 

– [ST]