Navy SC retain Women’s Inter-Club Division I (50-over) title

Inoka Ranaweera, the key to Navy SC retaining the title with 19 wickets in the tournament

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Navy SC retained the Women’s Inter-Club Division I (50-over) title for another year when they beat Army SC B by 10 wickets at Welisara yesterday and along with it collected an additional bonus point to ensure that their closest rivals Air Force SC A ended up second.

In a match reduced to 22 overs due to bad weather Navy SC restricted Army SC B to a moderate total of 39-9 and hit off the required runs in 10 overs courtesy of their openers national players Hasini Perera (22*) and Prasadani Weerakkody (19*). Left-arm slow orthodox spinner Inoka Ranaweera, the key performer for Navy SC, took three wickets for four runs to end as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 19 wickets.

Air Force SC A also won their match against Seenigama CC reduced by rain to 20 overs a side at Katunayake by 27 runs.

Batting first Air Force SC A totaled 94-8 and Seenigama CC at one stage looked like successfully chasing down the target when they were 63-3 in the 17th over.  But spinners Malsha Shehani and Tharuka Shehani took five wickets for five runs between them including the prize scalp of Seenigama CC skipper and the tournament’s leading run-getter Kaveesha Dilhari for 22 to wrap up the match in Air Force SC A’s favour. 

Air Force A won with an additional bonus point but it was not sufficient for them to get past Navy SC (30 points) as they finished on 29 points. Kaveesha finished the tournament with 304 runs (avg. 60.80) with three fifties.

Army SC A, the third team in the running for the title, had their match against Chilaw Marians CC at Army grounds Dombagoda abandoned as a no-result due to a wet outfield that prevented a single ball from being bowled. Both teams shared four points and Army SC A finished the league in third place with 25 points.     

At Colts grounds in the only match that played the full quota of overs without any interruptions to bad weather, Air Force SC B capitalised on some poor bowling by Colts CC who conceded 32 wides to win by six wickets.

Chasing a target of 147 Air Force SC B lost their first two wickets for 14 runs, but opening bat and wicket-keeper Hiroshi Peiris (40* off 109 balls) and Malki Madara (68 off 114 balls, 9 fours) shared a third wicket stand of 116 to give their side victory making full use of the extra deliveries they were offered on a platter by the indisciplined Colts CC bowlers. Colts CC wicket-keeper/opening bat Kaushini Nuthyanga top scored for them in their total of 146 with 68 off 81 balls (6 fours).

As champions Navy SC will receive a cheque for Rs. 500,000 and Air Force SC A as runner-up will collect Rs. 250,000.

Individual awards will be decided by the Tournament Committee.   

Results

At Katunayake: Air Force SC A beat Seenigama CC by 27 runs

n Air Force SC A 94-8 (20) (Chamari Polgampola 23, Oshadi Ranasinghe 21, Sachini Nisansala 2/18, Kaveesha Dilhari 3/18)

n Seenigama CC 67-8 (20) (Sachini Nisansala 24, Kaveesha Dilhari 22, Malsha Shehani 3/7, Tharuka Shehani 2/10)

At Welisara: Navy SC beat Army SC B by 10 wickets

n Army SC B 39-9 (22) (Ayesha Sandamali 18, Inoka Ranaweera 3/4, Umesha Thimeshani 2/11)

n Navy SC 41 for no loss (10) (Hasini Perera 22*, Prasadani Weerakkody 19*)  

At Colts: Air Force SC B beat Colts CC by six wickets

n Colts CC 146 (46) (Kaushini Nuthyanga 68, Amadhi Wijesinghe 21, Lanka Mendis 3/24, Shakila Premaratne 2/17, Sadani Dedduwakumara 3/11)

n Air Force SC B 147-4 (42.3) (Hirushi Peiris 40*, Malki Madara 68, Extras 34)

At Premadasa Stadium: No result (rain) 

n Chilaw Marians CC v Army SC A