NCC close in on win over Colts

NCC all-rounder Chaturanga de Silva celebrates a wicket on his way to a five-wicket haul against Colts at the CCC grounds yesterday

Shehan Jayasuriya of Chilaw Marians CC on drives during his innings of 108 against CCC at the SSC grounds yesterday

Sri Lanka Army SC’s Dinesh Chandimal rejoices after reaching 300 on the second day of the Premier Super Eight match against Saracens SC at Katunayake yesterday

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Former Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal hit the second highest score in a first-class match by a Sri Lankan after Mahela Jayawardene’s epic 374 when he made a career best 354 not out for Sri Lanka Army SC against Saracens SC on the second day of the Premier Super Eight match played at the FTZ grounds, Katunayake yesterday.  

Chandimal also became the second batsman of the ongoing domestic season to score a triple hundred and pass 1,000 runs during that enduring knock. Resuming his innings at 136 not out Chandimal tore into the hapless Saracens bowlers to race to his maiden triple hundred off 341 balls with a boundary off Praveen Sandamal. 

He surpassed his previous highest score of 244 when he took ten runs off an over from Harsha Rajapaksha to move from 237 to 247. Overall he faced 391 balls and hit 33 fours and 9 sixes. He had good support from the late order batsmen who helped him reach his triple hundred.

It is learnt that the Army delayed declaring their innings as Chandimal was persuaded to go past the score of 351 scored by Tamil Union batsman Kithuruwan Vithanage against Air Force SC at Katunayake in 2015 which stood as the second highest first-class score by a Sri Lankan after Mahela Jayawardene’s 374 for Sri Lanka against South Africa at the SSC in 2006.

On Tuesday NCC opener Lahiru Udara became the first batsman to reach 1000 runs for the season.

Earlier in the season in February, Ramesh Mendis, the 25-year-old right hand middle order batsman from Moors SC scored an unbeaten 300 against Negombo CC at Moors SC grounds, Braybrooke Place. On that occasion Moors SC piled up 652-8 but the match ended in a draw despite Moors enforcing the follow-on. The last occasion when two batsmen scored triple hundreds in one season was in 2015-16. Minod Bhanuka made 342 for SSC v Badureliya CC at Maggona and Udara Jayasundera 318 for Ragama CC against SSC at the R Premadasa Stadium.

By stumps Saracens SC had replied with 72-2 and face a long hard struggle to bat out the entire third and final day today if they are to deprive the Army of first innings points. On the first day Sri Lanka and Colts off-spinner Dilruwan Perera joined a select band of players from the country to take 800 first-class wickets. 

Beginning the match on 799 wickets, Perera reached the milestone when he had Chaturanga de Silva caught for 41 in the NCC first innings. However Perera’s personal milestone looks short lived as his team struggled to avoid an innings defeat after being made to follow-on. 

Colts was dismissed for 222 in their first innings and had lost six wickets for 119 in their second, still requiring 117 runs with four wickets in hand to make NCC bat again. 

The Colts batting in the first innings was undone by left-arm spinner Chaturanga de Silva who captured five wickets and in the second by Sri Lanka under 19 cricketer Ashian Daniel who has so far captured three wickets with his off-breaks playing in only his second first-class game. 

Angelo Mathews who top scored for Colts in the first innings with 52 was forced to retire hurt in the second innings with his score on 30 due to cramps on his leg and may resume batting only if required today.

Sri Lanka’s white ball all-rounder Shehan Jayasuriya scored his eleventh first class hundred to give Chilaw Marians a substantial first innings lead of 171 over reigning champions CCC. Marians resuming from 83-2 declared at 458-9 with Jayasuriya scoring an exciting 108 off 95 balls inclusive of 13 fours and 3 sixes.

Sri Lanka Test opener and skipper of the side Oshada Fernando weighed in with 85 off 134 balls and there were useful contributions from Rumesh Buddika and Kasun Vidura who hit a fifty apiece. By the close CCC were 68-2 still trailing by 103 runs with eight second innings wickets in hand and will be required to bat out the day if they are to deprive Marians from grabbing full points.

In the other match BRC were 142-2 at the close in reply to Ragama CC’s first innings of 491.

Super Eight Day Two Scores

 

• At CCC: NCC 458; Colts 222 (51) (Sadeera Samarawickrama 39, Angelo Mathews 52, Dilruwan Perera 27, Nisala    Tharaka 22, Akila Dananjaya 22, Lasith Embuldeniya 2/47, Chaturanga de Silva 5/56) and 119-6 (37) at  close (Sadeera Samarawickrama 51 n.o., Angelo Mathews rtd ht 30, Dushmantha Chameera 2/12, Ashian Daniel 3/30)             

     

• At P Sara Oval: Ragama CC 491 (134.1) (o/n 309-2) (Lahiru Thirimanne 140, Udara Jayasundera 158, Shashika Dulshan 21, Ishan Jayaratne 36, Binura Fernando 52 n.o., Amila Aponso 38, Hashen Ramanayake 3/80, Duvindu Tillakaratne 3/136)

               BRC 142-2 at close (42.4) (Nisal Francisco 50, Lasith Lakshan 32, Shanuka Dulaj 59 n.o.) 

• At SSC: CCC 287 and 68-2 (18) at close (Minod Bhanuka 25, Kusal Mendis 25 n.o., Shehan Jayasuriya 2/17)

Chilaw Marians CC 458-9 decl. (87) (o/n 83-2) (Lasith Croospulle 50, Oshada Fernando 85, Rumesh Buddika 56, Shehan Jayasuriya 108, Pulina Tharanga 34, Kasun Vidura 61, Thikshila de Silva 20, Malinda Pushpakumara 4/106, Lakshan Sandakan 3/112)

 

• At Katunayake: Sri Lanka Army SC 642-8 decl (156.2) (o/n 344-5) (Ashan Randika 63, Pathum Dilshan 67, Dinesh Chandimal 354 n.o., Lakshan Edirisinghe 45, Janith Silva 35, Mohomed Dilshad 2/86, Saliya Saman 2/97, Promod Maduwantha (2/90)

 

               Saracens SC 72-3 (20.3) at close (Sithara Gimhan 26, Gamindu Kanishka 40 n.o., Dushan Vimukthi 2/34)