Defending champ Tamil Union, Ragama CC start on winning note

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Defending champ Tamil Union and losing finalist Ragama CC began their campaign to win the 2022 SLC Major Limited-Over Inter-club Tournament with facile wins on the opening day yesterday.

Police SC’s tall left-arm spinner Lahiru Diyantha used his good height to capture his maiden fifer in one-day cricket to put out Tamil Union for 197, but Police SC’s batting collapsed against an experienced bowling line up (with two former Sri Lanka cricketers Dilruwan Perera and Isuru Udana) to be dismissed for 100. 

Ragama CC’s Captain and Sri Lanka T20I cricketer Janith Liyanage hit an authoritative 77 off 91 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes) and captured three wickets with his medium-paced deliveries for his club to make a winning start by beating CCC by 39 runs.

Two former Sri Lanka U19 cricketers Nipun Dananjaya scored his maiden one-day century and left-arm fast-medium bowler Kalana Perera took his first fifer in one-day cricket to help SSC beat Saracens SC by six wickets. 

Dananjaya fresh from scoring twin fifties (92 and 77) for Sri Lanka ‘A’ against Australia ‘A’ in the second unofficial test at Hambantota controlled SSC’s run chase with an unbeaten 104 off 98 balls (13 fours) after Perera had helped dismiss Saracens SC for 218 with figures of five for 43.

Sebastianites’ 34-year-old dual purpose bowler (medium-pace and off-spin) Shashrika Pussegolla took his maiden five-wicket haul in one-day cricket but had to finish on the losing side to Badureliya SC by 35 runs.

Former Maris Stella College, Negombo cricketer 22-year-old right-hander Dakshitha Fernando playing in only his second one-day match scored his maiden 100 (105 off 113 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes) for Bloomfield in their 54-run win over Kalutara TC.

Colts came up with a convincing performance to thrash NCC by nine wickets. Dhananjaya Lakshan, Akila Dananjaya, Rohan Sanjaya and Muditha Lakshan took two wickets apiece to dismiss NCC for 155 and Colts spurred on by an unbeaten 71 off 89 balls from opener Sangeeth Cooray coasted home with 130 balls to spare. 

Leg-spinner Danushka Madushanka playing in only his third one-day match at the age of 31 took his maiden fifer haul to help Moors SC defeat Lankan CC by five wickets.

An opening stand of 123 off 29 overs between Dilan Jayalath (51) and Leo Fransisco (62) laid the foundation for BRC’s total of 285-8 after which Duvindu Tillakaratne ran through the Navy SC batting for 169 with his left-arm spin taking four wickets.

Rashmika Madushanka, 19-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman from Mahinda College, Galle scored his maiden limited over 50 (59* off 63 balls, 5 fours) to help Kandy Customs CC to 245-6 of which opener Akeel Inham made a top score of 71 off 86 balls (4 fours sixes, 4 fours). Galle was dismissed for 207.

Army SC recovered from a bad start losing four wickets for 43 to post a competitive score of 234-7 thanks to fifties from skipper Lakshan Edirisinghe (65 off 117 balls) and wicket-keeper/bat Mahesh Kumara (65* off 55 balls). Then spinners Seekkuge Prasanna and Kaumal Nanayakkara destroyed the Kurunegala YCC batting for 105 runs taking seven wickets between them to give them a comprehensive win by 129 runs.

Left-hander Kasun Vidura scored his second one-day century, a career best 129 off 134 balls (14 fours, 1 six) and shared a 124 runs stand for the fourth wicket with A. Jotin (66* off 61 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) to see Chilaw Marians CC post the highest total of the day 292-5 and beat Negombo CC by 29 runs.

All-rounder Koshan Danushka took three wickets and hit an undefeated 53 off 57 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes) to steer Panadura SC to a close two-wicket win over Nugegoda SWC.

Results

• At Dombagoda: Badureliya SC beat Sebastianites by 35 runs. Badureliya SC 134 (39.1) (Tharaka Waduge 37, Shashrika Pussegolla 5/38) Sebatianites 99 (31.3) (Ruchira Koshitha 3/34)
• At SSC: SSC beat Saracens SC by six wickets. Saracens SC 218 (48.5) (Promod Maduwantha 41, Mohammad Waqas 78, Kalana Perera 5/43) SSC 221-4 (35.5) (Nipun Dananjaya 104*, Shevon Daniel 32, Dasun Shanaka 33)
• At Bloomfield: Bloomfield beat Kalutara TC by 54 runs. Bloomfield 276 (49.4) (Dakshitha Fernando 105, Tharindu Lankathilaka 54, Kawshan Kulasooriya 3/24) Kalutara TC 222-8 (50) (Kawshan Kulasooriya 36, Tharindu Siriwardene 58, Kavindu Ridmal 3/44)
• At NCC: Colts beat NCC by nine wickets. NCC 155 (45.1) (Kavin Bandara 42) Colts 156-1 (28.2) (Sangeeth Cooray 71*, Hashan Dumindu 36*)
• At Moors: Moors SC beat Lankan CC by five wickets. Lankan CC 144 (48.3) (Ishan Rangana 42, Devind Pathmanathan 32*, Danushka Madushanka 5/33) Moors SC 148-5 (28.3) (Pabasara Waduge 38, Dinuka Dilshan 32, Mohammed Shamaz 34)
• At P. Sara Oval: Tamil Union won by 97 runs. Tamil Union 197 (47.3) (Navod Paranavithana 51, Lahiru Diyantha 5/24) Police SC 100 (31.5) (Heshan Danushka 49*, Dilum Sudeera Thilakaratne 3/18)
• At BRC: BRC beat Navy SC by 116 runs. BRC 285-8 (50) (Dilan Jayalath 51, Leo Fransisco 62, Tillakaratne Sampath 35, Dushan Hemantha 53, Dilanka Auwardt 3/62) Navy SC 169 (46) (Geshan Wimaladharma 55, Madura Madushanka 37, Romesh Suranga 33, Duvindu Tillakaratne 4/33)
• At Moratuwa: Panadura SC beat Nugegoda SWC by two wickets. Nugegoda SWC 170 (46.5) (Lisula Lakshan 35, Nimesh Vimukthi 3/32, Koshan Danuska 3/32) Panadura SC 173-8 (32) (Lakshan Rodrigo 34, Koshan Danuska 53*, Naveen Fernando 4/59)
• At Panadura: Kandy Customs CC beat Galle CC by 38 runs. Kandy Customs CC 245-6 (50) (Akeel Inham 71, Vishva Wijeratne 30, Salindu Pathirana 44, Rashmika Madushanka 59*) Galle CC 207 (45.5) (Vinura Dulsara 77, Chatura Lakshan 32, Ayesh Harshana 3/43)
• At Panagoda: Army SC beat Kurunegala YCC by 129 runs. Army SC 234-7 (50) (Lakshan Edirisinghe 65, Suminda Lakshan 45, Mahesh Kumara 65*) Kurunegala YCC 105 (27.3) (Danushka Dharmasiri 35, Seekkuge Prasanna 4/33, Kaumal Nanayakkara 3/9)
• At R. Premadasa Stadium: Chilaw Marians CC beat Negombo CC by 29 runs. Chilaw Marians CC 292-5 (50) (Kavindu Irosh 32, Kasun Vidura 129, A Jotin 66*) Negombo CC 263-9 (50) (Amoda Widanapathirana 59, Dimuth Sandaruwan 75, Sandaruwan Chinthaka 32, Pulina Tharanga 3/41)
• At Maggona: Ragama CC beat CCC by 39 runs. Ragama CC 247-9 (50) (Yohan Liyanage 34, Janith Liyanage 77, Nuwan Thushara 3/37) CCC 208 (46.4) (Minod Bhanuka 45, Pavan Ratnayake 42, Malinga Amarasinghe 31, Janith Liyanage 3/24, Shashika Dulshan 3/38)