SSC, Police SC take a step closer to final with wins in SLC Major 3-day tournament

Rajeewa Weerasinghe spun Panadura SC to victory with a match haul of 12 wickets 

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Dasun Shanaka followed his first innings knock of 96 with a breezy innings of 67 off 36 balls for SSC

Off-spinner Ashian Daniel bowled NCC to victory with a career best 12-wicket haul

Table leaders SSC (Group A) and Police SC (Group B) consolidated their positions by grabbing first innings points in their respective drawn matches of the SLC Major 3-day tournament matches concluded yesterday taking a step close to the final.

In a high scoring game at the SSC, the hosts closed their second innings at 285-5 of which Sadisha Rajapaksa (90 off 90 balls, 10 fours, 1 six), Nuwanidu Fernando (57* off 61 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) and Dasun Shanaka (67* off 36 balls, 4 fours, 5 sixes) completed fifties apiece. Kandy Customs CC left with a stiff target of 428 to chase and did well to finish on 304-5 courtesy of a career best knock of 130 off 100 balls (13 fours, 8 sixes) from Sameen Kandanearachchi.

Police SC had to be satisfied with first innings points at Moors SC grounds after attempting to chase down a target of 122 lost seven wickets for 63 falling to the wiles of left-arm spinner Theesan Vithushan (4/9). Moors SC earlier were dismissed for 232 in their second innings.  

Colts, placed second in Group A escaped with a draw by the skin of their teeth against Negombo CC at Colts grounds. Former Sri Lanka spinner Akila Dananjaya defied 40 balls for 7* to help Colts draw at 79-9 after being set a target of 189 for victory. Spinners Danushka Sandaruwan, Nishan Peiris and Upul Indrasiri accounted for the nine wickets to fall. Negombo CC declared their second innings at 261-8.

Second placed Ace Capital CC’s chances of qualifying for a place in the final took a crippling blow when they lost by 148 runs to Tamil Union at FTZ Sports Complex, Katunayake. Tamil Union continuing their second innings from 161-6 were dismissed for 251 with national cap Dhananjaya de Silva following his first innings fifty with another pleasing knock of 87 off 129 balls (6 fours, 1 six). Spinners Roshan Jayatissa and Wanuja Sahan took match bags of nine wickets apiece. Left with 264 to chase, Ace Capital CC were bundled out for 115 falling to the off-breaks of Ravindu Fernando (6/26).  

NCC pulled off a four-wicket win over Air Force SC at Katunayake to become the new challengers to Police SC from Group B. Off-spinner Ashian Daniel returned career best innings (7/73) and match figures (12/124) to bowl NCC to victory. Air Force made 218 in their second innings (Kemira Wijenayake 85* off 167 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) which left NCC a small target of 90 to chase. But they nearly made a mess of it, losing six wickets getting there.

Defending champions CCC who are out of the running for a place in the final, secured their second win of the season grabbing full points with a five-wicket win over Ragama CC at P Sara Oval. Ragama CC were bowled out for 171 in their second innings (Santhush Gunathilaka 80 off 107 balls, 11 fours, 1 six) by left-arm spinner Sonal Dinusha (6/36). Requiring 104 for victory CCC knocked the runs off losing five wickets.

The fall of Ayana Siriwardhana’s wicket in the first over of the final day without any addition to his overnight score of 60 off 60 balls (2 fours, 6 sixes) ended Badureliya SC’s hopes of chasing down the target of 239 as they fell short by 22 runs against Bloomfield at Maggona. Parvez Raasool (71 off 84 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) and Rohan Sanjaya (42) made defiant contributions but left-arm spinner Sahan Nanayakkara followed his first innings performance of 6/51 with 5/73 for 11 wickets in the match to swing the game Bloomfield’s way.  

After conceding a first innings lead of 152, Panadura SC bounced back in their second innings to chase down a target of 286 to beat BRC by two wickets at BRC grounds. Saranga Rajaguru (58 off 88 balls, 6 fours, 1 six), skipper Indika de Saram (62 off 44 balls, 3 fours, 6 sixes), and Raminda Wijesooriya (75 off 52 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes) contributed lavishly towards the successful chase. Off-spinner Rajeewa Weerasinghe was the pick of the Panadura SC bowlers with a match bag of 12 wickets.

In a game affected by bad weather Galle CC and Army SC drew their high scoring match at Galle Cricket Stadium. Replying to Galle CC’s first innings of 408, Army SC inspired by former Sri Lanka cricketer Asela Gunaratne’s 15th first-class century (112 off 123 balls, 14 fours, 1 six) and a solid 85 off 155 balls (8 fours, 1 six) from skipper Lakshan Edirisinghe replied with 365-7.

The Sebastianites v Chilaw Marians CC match at De Soysa Stadium, Moratuwa also ended in a tame draw. Replying to Sebastianites score of 342-8 decl. Chilaw Marians CC scored 223-4.