Defending champions Police SC escape defeat by skin of teeth

Dasun Shanaka took his second successive five-fer for SSC

Angelo Mathews made twin fifties for Colts

Defending joint champs Police SC escaped defeat by the skin of their teeth when their last pair held Chilaw Marians CC to a draw in a SLC Major Club Three-day match played at Police Park yesterday.

After taking the vital first innings points, Police SC dismissed Chilaw Marians CC for 239 in the second innings, leaving themselves 169 to chase for victory. But spinners Dushan Vimukthi (4/35) and Duvindu Tillakaratne (4/31) spun a web around their batting so that when the ninth Police SC wicket fell for 75, there were 16 balls left in the match for Chilaw Marians CC to capture the last wicket. But last pair Himesh Ramanayake and Nalin Priyadarshana defied all attempts to earn Police SC a draw.

Former Sri Lanka white-ball cricketer Shehan Jayasuriya struck 7 fours and 5 sixes, scoring his 12th first-class century with 132 off 261 balls for Chilaw Marians CC, while Police SC’s off-spinner Nalin Priyadarshana took his 10th five-fer in first-class cricket with 5/109.

SSC, the defending joint champions, suffered their second successive defeat when they conceded first innings points to Nugegoda SWC at the SSC Ground. 

In a closely fought out contest, SSC fell short by five runs of topping Nugegoda SWC’s first innings of 311. In their second innings, Nugegoda SWC were all out for 299 courtesy fifties from Sri Lanka Under-19 cricketer Pulindu Perera, making 65 off 110 balls (10 fours) on his debut for the club, and seasoned campaigner Angelo Perera (55 off 58 balls, 4 fours, 3 sixes).

Former Sri Lanka white-ball captain Dasun Shanaka took his second five-fer in successive games with 5/48. Left with a target of 304, SSC finished on 184-3 with Sadisha Rajapaksa (63), Shanaka (51), and Shevon Daniel (50) completing fifties.

Ragama CC suffered back to back defeats when Ace Capital CC humbled them by 116 runs at Maggona. 

After gaining a first innings lead of 112, Ace Capital CC closed their second innings at 269-5 with left-hander Pawantha Weerasinghe scoring 118 off 161 balls (12 fours, 1 six). Setting a target of 382 to chase, Ragama CC’s batting folded up for 265, falling prey to seamer Nimsara Atharagalla (5/57). Yohan Liyanage top scored with a pleasing 84 off 122 balls (6 fours, 1 six). Tamil Union held out to a draw after conceding first innings points to Moors SC at the P. Sara Oval. 

In reply to Moors SC’s first innings score of 476-8 declared, Tamil Union were dismissed for 288, with Manelkar de Silva making a top score of 84 (168 balls, 5 fours, 3 sixes) and Sri Lanka spinner and Moors SC skipper Ramesh Mendis taking 6/106. Moors SC declared their second innings at 123-2 (Lasith Abeyratne 56*). Tamil Union set a target of 312, finishing on 104-3.

Sri Lanka cricketers Angelo Mathews and Akila Dananjaya excelled in Colts’ first innings win against Bloomfield at the Colts Ground. 

Dananjaya took 6/77 to spin out Bloomfield for 230 (Ron Chandraguptha 58, Nipun Karunanayake 55) in reply to Colts’ first innings of 340. In Colts’ second innings of 215-6, Mathews followed his first innings knock of 88 with an unbeaten 66 (3 fours, 3 sixes).

Giant killers Kurunegala YCC secured their second win when they took first innings points off Kandy Customs CC at the Welagedara Stadium. 

Replying to Kandy Customs CC’s first innings of 278, Kurunegala YCC, powered by hundreds from Dilhara Polgampola (109 off 297 balls, 8 fours) and skipper Sameera Sadamal (116 off 206 balls, 11 fours, 1 six) who put together a fifth wicket double century stand of 202, scored 378-9 declared. Kandy Customs CC, in their second innings, scored 252-4 with Qatar-based Imal Liyanage scoring a power packed 85 off 73 balls (6 fours, 5 sixes) and Sahan Kosala scoring 54*.

NCC thumped BRC by an innings and 87 runs to record their second successive win in the ongoing SLC Major Club Three-day Tournament match played at the NCC Ground. 

Trailing by 199 runs in the first innings, BRC, who began the third and final day on 12-0, were bundled out for 112 by NCC’s pace and cum combination. Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera, making a comeback to competitive cricket following an injury which kept him out of the national team, bowled a total of 20.3 overs in the match for figures of 3/54 to follow up his 3/56 off 18 overs against Kandy Customs CC last weekend. Diniru Abeywickramasinghe top scored for BRC with 43.

Panadura SC recovered from losing their opening match to Police SC last weekend to beat Badureliya CC by 8 wickets at Panadura. 

Sri Lanka Test opener Oshada Fernando, turning out for Panadura SC this season, missed out on a century by one run, leading the run chase for 126 with 99 off 60 balls (6 fours, 9 sixes).