Moors SC clinch Plate with innings win

Moors SC’s two main striker bowlers Praveen Jayawickrama (left)  and Kavishka Anjula (right) who between them took 59 wickets for the season to help the club win the Plate title

Moors SC produced a fine all-round performance to beat Lankan CC by an innings and clinch the Premier Plate title in the final second round match concluded at the NCC grounds yesterday.

Negombo CC, the other contenders to the throne, had to be satisfied with the runner-up spot after they failed to beat Tamil Union and take full points, the game ending in a draw. Moors SC led by former Richmond College, Galle opener Pabasara Waduge showed their dominance in the match with a clinical display on the field. After piling up a massive 599-9 declared they had Lankan CC fighting with their backs to the wall. 

Although Lankan CC came up with a decent first innings score of 320 they still trailed by 279 runs. Forced to follow-on they succumbed to pressure and folded up tamely for 176 in the second innings. It was a fine team effort by Moors because no bowler stood out exceptionally, although slow left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama took five wickets in the Lankan first innings. 

Former Thomian left-handed opener Yohan Mendis struck his maiden first-class hundred in his 14th match and Sri Lanka middle order batsman Dhananjaya de Silva scored his 17th first-class century to help Tamil Union draw their match against Negombo CC after trailing by 187 runs on the first innings. 

Dismissed for 184, Tamil Union put up a better display of batting in their second effort thanks to Mendis and de Silva to finish on 387-9. Mendis whose previous highest score was 61 made a patient 116 off 211 balls hitting 17 fours and a six, De Silva however was in an aggressive mood striking the ball to all parts of the ground to rack up a superb 167 off 140 balls that included 8 sixes and 17 fours. 

In the other match that had no bearing on the standings SSC took the honours in the draw against Badureliya CC.    

(ST)

Plate results

At NCC: Moors SC beat Lankan CC by an innings and 103 runs 

•  Moors SC 599-9 decl.
•  Lankan CC 320 (82) (o/n 209-5) (Malinga Amarasinghe 117, Primosh Perera 65, Damitha Silva 36, Kevin Perera 31 n.o., Dunith Wellalage 28, Kavishka Anjula 2/49, Praveen Jayawickrama 5/83) and 176 (55.3) (Geeth Kumara 32, Risith Upamal 36, Kasun Abeyratne 27, Kavishka Anjula 2/39, Ayana Siriwardhana 2/7, Praveen Jayawickrama 2/69, Ramesh Mendis 2/29, Nipun Karunanayake 2/27) 

At Colts: Match drawn (Negombo CC take first innings points)

•  Tamil Union 184 and 387-9 (96) (o/n 45-1) (Yohan Mendis 116, Dhananjaya de Silva 167, Manoj Sarathchandra 25, Dakshitha Fernando 23, Upul Indrasiri 2/106, Lakshitha Manasinghe 5/135) 
•  Negombo CC 371  

At Moratuwa: Match drawn (SSC take first innings points) 

•  SSC 583  
•  Badureliya CC 280 (78.5) (o/n 239-6) (Dunith Jayatunga 63, Damith Perera 113, Dushan Hemantha 29, Buddika Sanjeewa 22, Kalana Perera 2/36, Jeffrey Vandersay 3/76, Tharindu Ratnayake 4/73) and 258-4 (64) (Tillakaratne Sampath 72, Damith Perera 112 n.o., Dushan Hemantha 28, Tharindu Ratnayake 3/72)