SLC Major Club 3-Day Tournament Milan Rathnayake bowls Moors SC to victory

Tuesday, 21 January 2025 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Milan Rathnayake put on an inspired spell of fast bowling for Moors SC

Sithara Gimhan pulls his way to a century for Moors SC

Lahiru Madushanka’s 63 off 48 balls helped Bloomfield to a first innings lead

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Fast bowling all-rounder Milan Rathnayake warmed up for the upcoming Test series against Australia by spearheading Moors SC to an innings and 73-runs win in two days in their SLC Major Club 3-Day match against Nugegoda SWC, concluded at the De Soysa Stadium, Moratuwa yesterday.

With this win, Moors SC moved to second place behind NCC in Group B.

Play was possible only on the first and third days, but it was enough for Moors SC to bundle out Nugegoda SWC for scores of 104 and following-on 148 to pick up full points. Rathnayake ran through the Nugegoda SWC top and middle order in the first innings to finish with 4/32. He was once again instrumental in dismissing Nugegoda SWC a second time, taking the first two wickets to fall of Dilan Jayalath (0) and Nugegoda SWC Captain Tillakaratne Sampath (0) for match figures of 6/57.

Sithara Gimhan, who had to wait an entire day (because of bad weather) to get to his hundred, finally completed it and went on to score 134 off 218 balls (13 fours, 2 sixes). Moors SC, who resumed at 275-7, added 50 runs for their remaining five wickets to be all out for 325, with off-spinner Maduka Liyanapathiranage taking his 19th five-fer in first-class cricket. Using his 6ft 3in height to gain a good advantage, Maduka finished with figures of 5/78 off 30 overs.

Bloomfield spinners Ravindu Fernando (5/42) and Jeffrey Vandersay (4/33) made short work of Chilaw Marians CC’s batting, having them all out for 109 in their match played at Bloomfield Ground yesterday, where 24 wickets fell on the first day.

Leg-spinner Vandersay has been included in Sri Lanka’s 18-man squad for the two-Test series against Australia, so it was a good outing for him. Chilaw Marians CC’s total would have been much lower than 100 had it not been for a cameo knock of 50 off 29 balls (1 fours, 6 sixes) from their no. 8 bat Thikshila de Silva. Bloomfield, in reply, were in a spot of bother, losing their first six wickets for 89, but Lahiru Madushanka, Sri Lanka’s Hong Kong Sixes winning captain, came to their rescue with a spirited knock of 63 off 48 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes) to help them to 190 – a first innings lead of 81. By close, Bloomfield had Chilaw Marians CC on the ropes at 26-4, still trailing by 55 runs. Off-spinner Ravindu Fernando took three of the wickets to increase his match tally to eight.

The match will continue on its second day today.