Kandy Customs CC stun Ragama CC despite Madushka’s landmark

Moors SC spinner Theesan Vithusan (centre) is congratulated by teammates after scalping another SSC batsman  

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Gayan Maneeshan’s century for Kurunegala YCC denied CCC an outright win

Ragama CC’s Nishan Madushka celebrates scoring 1000 runs for the season

Following Army SC’s two-day win over Ace Capital CC by 195 runs, five other teams followed suit picking up maximum points in the 12 SLC Major League inter-club matches concluded yesterday.

Bottom of the Group A table Kandy Customs CC stunned Ragama CC by 67 runs at Thurstan grounds for their first win of the season. Needing 361 for victory, Ragama CC were bowled out for 293 despite Nishan Madushka becoming the first batsman to cross the 1,000-run mark for the season. Madushka who started the match needing 75 runs followed his first innings score of 30 with 70 (11 fours) to reach the milestone. Dineth Thimodya also contributed with 80 (7 fours, 1 six), but their efforts proved futile. Off-spinning all-rounder Imesh Udayanga took seven wickets in the match for the winners.     

Lankan CC also recorded their season’s first win with a commanding performance thrashing BRC by an innings and 86 runs at Panadura. After running up a massive total of 457 courtesy centuries from Deshan Dias and Prasansana Jayamanne, off-spinner Rajeeva Weerasinghe (match bag of 9/156) and spinners Geeth Kumara and Damitha Silva bowled BRC out for 81 and 290.

NCC completed a comprehensive 10-wicket win over Navy SC at Welisara. Trailing by 167 runs in the first innings, Navy SC were dismissed for 272 in their second attempt leaving NCC with a target of 106 which they achieved through their openers Lahiru Udara and Kavin Bandara who each made 53*.

Opener Heshan Dhanushka was the star of Police SC’s successful run chase against Colts at Police Park where they won by six wickets. Colts, who had already taken a first innings lead of 118, set Police SC a target of 264 to chase by declaring their second innings at 145-7. 

Police SC’s off-spinner Nalin Priyadarshana took his maiden ten-wicket match haul (10/191) while for Colts, Sri Lanka U-19 World Cup captain Dunith Wellalage returned career best figures of 6/86.

Devapathiraja Vidyalaya’s 18-year-old schoolboy Jeewaka Sashin’s maiden first-class hundred 130 of 211 balls (14 fours, 1 six) failed to stop Group B table toppers Tamil Union from completing a five-wicket win over Negombo CC at P Sara Oval. Trailing by 228 runs Negombo CC following-on made 361, leaving Tamil Union a target of 134 to chase for a win.

Theesan Vithushan, the 21-year-old left-arm spinner from Jaffna Central returned career best figures of 6 for 109 off 43 overs to give Moors SC vital first innings points against SSC in their drawn game at SSC grounds. SSC replying to Moors SC’s first innings of 355 were all out for 273 despite a fighting century from Sri Lanka Test batsman Roshen Silva (103 off 211 balls, 9 fours, 1 six). In Moors SC’s second innings of 301-7 skipper Ramesh Mendis scored 119* (136 balls, 15 fours). 

Defending champions CCC had to be content with first innings points at CCC grounds when Kurunegala YCC forced to follow-on put up a strong batting performance in their second innings reaching 318-6 largely due to a captain’s knock by Gayan Maneeshan who defied 10 bowlers to score 117 off 189 balls (8 fours, 5 sixes). Kurunegala YCC were dismissed for 244 in their first innings replying to CCC’s 404. 

Centuries from skipper Madawa Warnapura (123* off 327 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) and Lahiru Madushanka (132* off 185 balls, 16 fours) who put on an unbroken stand of 215 saw Bloomfield make a strong reply – 374-4 to Chilaw Marians CC’s first innings of 552 and force a draw at Bloomfield grounds. 

Veteran spinner Gayan Sirisoma’s valiant attempt at taking nine wickets in the match failed to bring Air Force SC victory at Moratuwa as Nugegoda SWC set a target of 301 held out to force a draw at 101-9. Opener Udayawansha Parakrama scored 103* off 115 balls (12 fours, 2 sixes) in the Air Force second innings of 173-4 declared. Air Force took first innings points.

In a high scoring match at the R Premadasa Stadium, Badureliya SC (372-9d) edged out Saracen SC (340) on the first innings by 32 runs with Punjab’s Zahid Mansoor scoring a century (237 balls, 7 fours), and Alankara Silva 73 (8 fours, 1six), Anuk Fernando 86 (6 fours) and Gihan Rupasinghe 53* (5 fours, 2 sixes) contributing fifties. Kalutara TC (210) took first innings points from Sebastianites (173) at Moors grounds. 

In the second innings Sawan Kankanamge scored 139 (211 balls, 15 fours, 3 sixes) for Kalutara TC and Lohan de Zoysa 129 (off 138 balls, 15 fours, 1 six) for Sebastianites.