Rear guard actions the order of the day

Rear guard actions dominated the first day of the Major Club Emerging 3-day tournament matches at the P Sara Oval, Galle and Welisara yesterday with the teams to benefit from such recoveries being Tamil Union, Army SC and Lankan CC respectively.

In the key Group C clash Tamil Union had to thank their ninth wicket pair Kavindu Pathiratne and Dilum Sudeera for extracting them from a hopeless position of 138-8 to post a challenging total of 313 against Ragama CC. 

Pathiratne hit 16 fours and a six in his 181-ball innings for 111, and Sudeera offered excellent support with 59 off 151 balls (five fours) to thwart the attempts of pacies Hareen Rathnamudali (5/66) and Eshan Malinga (3/51) who was Airtel’s fastest bowler and dubbed as “Ratnapura Express” to dismantle them.

Army SC recovered from a desperate spot of 63-6 to score a decent 205 against Galle CC. Army’s recovery was led by Pathum Boteju (48) and Amal Dilhara (61 off 116 balls, five fours) who figured in a ninth wicket partnership of 103. Galle CC were in dire straits at 53-6 by the close.

In the game at Welisara, Lankan CC who lost their first seven wickets for 117 eventually totalled 235 thanks to a 98-run stand for the eighth wicket between Sri Lanka U19 World Cup fast bowler Yasiru Rodrigo (67* off 145 balls, 5 fours) and Vinuda Liyanage (55 off 125 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes). Air Force was 13 without loss.  

In the other key match, Group A leaders Moors SC were stunned by Air Force SC who have already picked up first innings points after dismissing Moors for 150 and replying with 154-3. Air Force skipper Udayawansha Parakrama is unbeaten on 97 (120 balls, 11 fours).

Negombo CC was the other team to grab first innings points at the end of the first day bowling out Kurunegala YCC for 65 and replying with 181-5 by the close.

The match at Bloomfield saw the completion of two innings in one day. Bloomfield dismissed for 174, hit back to have Saracens SC all out by the close for 138. – (ST)     

DAY ONE SCORES:

@Katunayake: Moors SC 150 (Dinuka Dilshan 57, Movin Subasingha 4/26)

Air Force SC 154-3 at close (Udayawansha Parakrama 97*)  

@CCC: CCC 137 (Malinga Amarasinghe 53, Anjala Bandara 45*, Tharindu Ratnayake 4/75)

Sebastianites 110-2 at close (Sandun Fernando 63*)

@Welisara: Lankan CC 235 (Yasiru Rodrigo 67*, Vinuda Liyanage 55, Sudara Dakshina 6/72)

Navy SC 13 for no loss at close.

@NCC: NCC 222 (Johanne de Zilva 64, Thiwanka Kekulawala 43, Irushika Thimira 4/60)

Chilaw Marians CC 25 for no loss at close.

@BOI Katunayake: Kurunegala YCC 65 (Sheshan Fernando 6/26)

Negombo CC 181-5 at close (Rashmika Mevan 71)

@Bloomfield: Bloomfield 174 (Dakshitha Fernando 43, Kavika Dilshan 6/63, Promod Maduwantha 4/60)

Saracens SC 138 (Sandun Mendis 38, Dileepa Jayalath 4/32)

@P Sara Oval: Tamil Union 313 (Kavindu Pathiratne 111, Dilum Sudeera 59, Hareen Rathnamudali 5/66)

Ragama CC 8 for no loss at close.

@Maggona: Badureliya SC 212-9 at close (Malindu Maduranga 52, Asel Sigera 4/42) v Police SC

@Panadura: Nugegoda SWC 187 (Bhagya Dissanayake 60, Wositha Amarasinghe 2/17)

Panadura SC 177-4 at close (Kosala Ravindu 42, Malinda Jayod 54*)

@Galle: Army SC 205 (Pathum Boteju 48, Ashan Dilhara 61, Kavindu Dilhara 5/27, Sandun Madushanka 4/38)

Galle CC 53-6 at close.

@BRC: Kalutara TC 222 (Kawshan Kulasooriya 40, Isuru Sandamal 40, Kanishka Maduwantha 47, Imitias Slaza 3/54)

BRC six for no loss at close.

@Thurstan: Ace Capital CC 170 (Sawan Kankanamge 93, Ayesh Harshana 5/58)

Kandy Customs SC 121-3 at close (Nimna Fernando 48)