Last ball victory keeps unbeaten Ragama CC on top

NCC fast bowler Chamika Karunaratne celebrates the wicket of Lankan CC batsman Harsha Cooray for 8

Ragama CC’s ninth wicket pair Amila Aponso and Dulaj Ashen celebrate their team’s thrilling two-wicket win off the last ball against Tamil Union

Minod Bhanuka made the highest individual score of the tournament so far smashing 4 sixes in his unbeaten knock of 85 for CCC

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Seamer Nimanda Madushanka bowled Badureliya CC to victory over Galle CC with his first five-for in T20 cricket

Ragama CC pulled off an exciting last ball victory over Tamil Union to maintain their unbeaten run in Group D of the ongoing SLC Major T20 inter-club tournament.

In a low scoring game at the NCC yesterday, Tamil Union managed only 118 after being invited to bat first, but fought back tooth and nail to capture seven Ragama CC wickets for 97. Binura Fernando the Sri Lanka T20I left-arm pace struck a six and a four scoring 17 runs to bring the scores level at 118-8 before he was dismissed. 

With one run required for victory off the final two balls Dulaj Ashen played down a dot ball and scampered a single off the last to give Ragama CC a thrilling two-wicket win – their third in as many matches.

The NCC continued to be a low-scoring surface even for the second match played yesterday as Panadura SC were shot out for 75 and SL Army SC coasted to a comfortable win by seven wickets.

CCC (Group A) also kept pace with Ragama CC recording their third straight win when they beat Negombo CC by seven wickets. A feature of the match was Sri Lanka cricketer Minod Bhanuka’s knock of 85 not off 55 balls (4 sixes, 7 fours) which is the highest individual score of the ongoing tournament so far, surpassing Kasun Ekanayake’s 81 not out for Bloomfield against Air Force SC on Saturday. Bhanuka also figured in 110-run third wicket partnership with skipper Ashan Priyanjan (50).        

NCC (Group B) and Kurunegala Youth CC (Group C) also won three out of three with victories over Lankan CC and Kalutara Town Club respectively.

Half-centuries from Dineth Jayakody and skipper Angelo Perera enabled NCC to post a decent 169-6. Lankan CC however collapsed in a heap to be shot out for 49, the lowest total of the tournament with the two Chamikas – Gunasekera and Karunaratne doing the job for NCC sharing six wickets.

Right-arm seam bowler Nimanda Madushanka took a career best 5 for 19 and his first five-for in T20 cricket to bowl Badureliya CC to a five-wicket win over Galle CC. Galle managed only 114-9 and Badureliya CC powered by Tillakaratne Sampath’s 55 off 30 balls (2 sixes, 7 fours) won with 25 balls to spare.

Dhananjaya Lakshan (31) and Jehan Daniel (44 n.o.) hit three sixes apiece and Sangeeth Cooray produced an all-round performance (37 & 3/19) as Colts eased to a 50-run win against Air Force SC. Colts’ total of 177-8 was in fact the highest in the tournament so far.

SSC recovered from their shock five-wicket loss to Police SC on Saturday to post a convincing seven-wicket win over Moor SC. SSC kept Moors down to a total of 156-6 and topped their total with three balls to spare riding largely on the second wicket stand of 93 between Krishan Sanjula (50 off 43 balls) and Nuwanidu Fernando (61 n.o. off 46 balls).

Results

At P. Sara Oval

Badureliya CC beat Galle CC by 5 wickets

• Galle CC 114-9 (20) (Eranga Ratnayake 30, Imesh Udayanga 23, Nimanda Madushanka 5/19)
• Badureliya CC 115-5 (15.5) (Tillakaratne Sampath 55, Yashodha Lanka 29, Nimesh Perera jnr 2/26)

CCC beat Negombo CC by 7 wickets

• Negombo CC 155-9 (20) (Lahiru Milantha 39, Angelo Jayasinghe 43, Roscoe Thattil 34, Malinda Pushpakumara 3/22)
• CCC 161-3 (19.3) (Minod Bhanuka 85 n.o., Ashan Priyanjan 50)  

At CCC

Colts beat Air Force SC by 50 runs

• Colts 177-8 (20) (Sangeeth Cooray 37, Heshan Danushka 25, Priyamal Perera 23, Dhananjaya Lakshan 31, Jehan Daniel 44 n.o., Lasanda Rukmal 3/38, Nimesha Mendis 2/50, Asantha Singappuli 2/23)
• Air Force SC 127 (18.4) (Udayawansha Parakrama 28, Chamara Fernando 33, Lasanda Rukmal 24, Rohan Sanjaya 2/26, Sangeeth Cooray 3/19, Nalin Priyadarshana 3/17)

NCC beat Lankan CC by 120 runs

• NCC 169-6 (20) (Dineth Jayakody 57, Angelo Perera 57 n.o., Saliya Saman 3/32, Roshan Jayatissa 2/35)
• Lankan CC 49 (13.1) (Vimukthi Perera 10, Chamika Gunasekara 3/5, Chamika Karunaratne 3/9, Ashian Daniel 2/5)

At FTZ Katunayake

SSC beat Moors SC by 7 wickets

• Moors SC 156-6 (20) (Pabasara Waduge 43, Mahela Udawatte 38, Mohammed Shamaaz 29, Jeevan Mendis 24, Kalana Perera 2/18)
• SSC 159-3 (19.3) (Krishan Sanjula 50, Nuwanidu Fernando 61 n.o., Adeesha Thilanchana 2/21)

Kurunegala YCC beat Kalutara TC by 55 runs

• Kurunegala YCC 161-5 (20) (Gayan Maneeshan 30 retd ht, Dhanushka Dharmasiri 34, Muditha Premadasa 39 n.o., Sameera Sadamal 27, Insaka Siriwardene 2/28)
• Kalutara TC 106-9 (20) (Pansilu Deshan 23, Lahiru Jayaratne 2/8, Sameera Sadamal 2/15, Randeera Ranasinghe 2/29)

At NCC

Ragama CC beat Tamil Union by 2 wickets

• Tamil Union 118 (19.1) (Sithara Gimhan 22, Yohan Mendis 25, Ravindu Fernando 25, Ishan Jayaratne 3/24, Binura Fernando 3/22, Janaka Sampath 2/11)
• Ragama CC 119-8 (20) (Ishan Jayaratne 22, Shiran Fernando 3/20, Pramod Madushan 3/27)

Army SC beat Panadura SC by 7 wickets

• Panadura SC 75 (17.3) (Koshan Danushka 25, Maheesh Theekshana 2/11, Yasoda Mendis 3/14, Seekkuge Prasanna 2/18)
• Army SC 76-3 (11.2) (Dushan Vimukthi 22, Asela Gunaratne 31 n.o.)