First semi-final tomorrow: Tamil Union v Negombo CC

Ranmith Jayasena (Tamil Union captain)

Pasindu Lakshanka (Negombo CC captain)

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

With three of the four semi-final places secured, focus will be for the fourth and final spot between Group A leaders Moors SC and second placed Sebastianites in the Major Club Emerging 3-day tournament.

Moors SC have concluded their matches and head the group with 85.310 points. Whether these points they have accumulated will hold them in good stead to go through to the semi-finals will be known over the next three days when Sebastianites (72.785) play bottom of the table Navy SC at Welisara starting tomorrow.

Sebastianites trail Moors SC by 12.525 points and for them to secure more than that number of points and top the group they will have to beat Navy SC pretty convincingly. The winners of Group A will qualify to meet Colts in the second semi-final scheduled for 8-10 April at the P Sara Oval.

While one eye will be on the proceedings at Welisara, the other will be focused on the Army grounds in Dombagoda, where the first semi-final will take place between Negombo CC and Tamil Union which also starts tomorrow. Both teams have reached this stage of the competition with similar records – three wins and two draws from five matches which shows there is not much to choose between the two sides, except that Tamil Union have in their line-up Dilum Sudeera Thilakaratne, the left-arm slow orthodox bowler from Karandeniya Central College and Richmond College.

Thilakaratne is the second highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 40 wickets that includes two match hauls of over 10 wickets and the two best bowling performances in an innings – 8/21 v Badureliya SC and 8/32 v Panadura SC – both matches which Tamil Union won with conviction.

Another similar haul is what Tamil Union will be looking for from him which would not only take the team into the final but will get Thilakaratne past the Army SC’s left-arm spinner Kaumal Nanayakkara who currently tops the bowling with 50 wickets. Thilakaratne has been complimented at the other end by the off-breaks of Ravindu Fernando who has captured 14 wickets. Thilakaratne will be the key to Tamil Union making it to the final.

Negombo CC batters on the other hand will be wary of Thilakaratne as they will see him as the main threat to their chances of qualifying for the final. They have yet to produce a centurion in the tournament so far and their efforts have been somewhat a combined one with everyone chipping in with useful contributions. Negombo CC’s strong point has been their two spinners Nishan Peiris (23 wickets) and Pasindu Ushettige (30) who have combined well to spin their team to the semi-final.

They will need to come up with another good performance if they are to stop Tamil Union from running away to a total beyond their reach. Tamil Union have four batsmen who have crossed the three-figure mark – Supun Kavinda, Kavindu Pathiratne, skipper Ranmith Jayasena and Ravindu Fernando whose backs Negombo CC would love to see in the dressing room early.

Five other matches which will have no bearing on the group leaders will also commence tomorrow - SSC v CCC at SSC, Lankan CC v Air Force SC at Panagoda, Colts v BRC at Colts, Galle CC v Kandy Customs SC at Galle and, Kalutara TC v Ace Capitals CC at Maggona.