Kandy Customs SC only team to beat the weather and win

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

In a weekend where bad weather played havoc with the Major Club League 3-day tournament, Kandy Customs SC were the only team to pull off a win beating Negombo CC by 35 runs. Kurunegala YCC, Police SC and Sebastianites managed to squeeze out first innings points, while the rest of the matches affected by the weather ended in tame draws.  

Veteran left-arm spinner 42-year-old Gayan Sirisoma took four wickets in an innings for a match bag of eight wickets to bowl Kandy Customs SC to a 35-run win over Negombo CC at BOI grounds, Katunayake. Negombo CC starting the final day on 11-2 chasing a winning target of 208 was bundled out for 172. They would have been in a worse plight had it not been for a fighting knock of 68 off 146 balls (2 fours) from Himasha Liyanage that saw them recover from 58-6 to their final total.

Kurunegala YCC inflicted on Group B table leaders Ace Capital CC their first loss of the season when they grabbed first innings points at the Welagedera Stadium, Kurunegala. Replying to Kurunegala YCC’s first innings of 257, Ace Capital fell short by 12 runs being dismissed for 245 despite some rearguard batting from numbers 8, 9 and 10 who contributed 126 for the last four wickets.

In a low-scoring match at Bloomfield grounds, Police SC managed to grab first innings points from Bloomfield. Police SC had to thank Supun Madusanka for helping them get past the Bloomfield total of 131. They were 124-8 before Madusanka (33 off 37 balls, 3 fours, 1 six) saw them to 156 against the threat posed by Sandun Weerakkody, primarily a wicket-keeper and left-arm spinner Sahan Nanayakkara who shared eight wickets between them. A solid half-century from wicket-keeper Navindu Nirmal (66 off 182 balls, 2 fours) enabled Sebastianites (235-6) to take first innings points from Air Force SC (205) at De Soysa Stadium, Moratuwa.

Tamil Union came up with a strong batting performance to score 339-8 declared at the NCC grounds, but rain stood in their way of forcing a result against NCC who replied with 130-2. Tamil Union skipper Lasith Abeyratne playing in his 100th first-class match made it a memorable one for him scoring an unbeaten century off 191 balls (1 four, 2 sixes). Ron Chandraguptha (58) and Ravindu Fernando (56) also contributed towards the total. Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya took four wickets. Niroshan Dickwella (68 off 54 balls, 5 fours, 3 sixes) and Captain Lahiru Udara (53 off 25 balls, 5 fours, 4 sixes) got NCC off to a flying start posting 88 for the first wicket inside ten overs, but rain prevented any play after tea.

Kasun Vidura struck 14 fours in his 183-ball innings of 116 in Chilaw Marian’s CC total of 321 at Maggona. Moors SC replied with 195-4 in the drawn game. Opener Janishka Perera missed out on a century by four runs hitting seven fours, two sixes in his 127-ball knock and Pasindu Sooriyabandara made 74 off 89 balls (8 fours, 1 six).  

Nimanda Subasinghe scored an unbeaten century (121 balls, 4 fours, 5 sixes) in his first first-class match in ten months for BRC to total 460 at the Galle Stadium. Galle CC made a bold reply scoring 324-4 before rain spoiled a good contest. Irosh Samarasooriya (63), Buddhika Hasaranga (67), Harsha Vithana (64*) and Shalith Fernando (54*) all made fifties.

Group A table leaders Colts couldn’t make much headway as only 82.4 overs were bowled at Colts grounds. In that period Army SC batting first notched up 330-7 thanks to a 141-run stand for the sixth wicket between Asela Gunaratne (89 off 109 balls,8 fours, 2 sixes) and Pathum Kumara (77 off 109 balls, 9 fours).  

The key match for the weekend between CCC and SSC ended in a draw without a ball being bowled on all three days due to a wet outfield at the CCC grounds. Only 15 overs were possible over the three days at Thurstan Road in the drawn match between Nugegoda SWC (47-2) and Ragama CC.