SSC first team to qualify for semi-finals

Skipper Nipun Dananjaya unbeaten 67 and Kavindu Nadeeshan’s four wickets carried SSC to the semi-finals

• SLC Major Limited Overs tournament

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

SSC, joint winners of the SLC Major League 3-day tournament with Army SC qualified for the final of the Major Club 50-over semi-finals with a six-wicket win over Army SC in their final group match played at the SSC grounds yesterday. The win consolidated SSC as the top team in Group B with seven wins and 16 points.

Army SC had four national cricketers Dinesh Chandimal, Asela Gunaratne, Thisara Perera and Seekkuge Prasanna in their line-up. Gunaratne (72 off 94 balls, 7 fours) with Lakshan Edirisinghe (74 off 69 balls, 9 fours, 2 sixes) put on 110 for the fourth wicket to lift Army SC from 35-3 to 207 combating the threatening leg-spin of Kavindu Nadeeshan who ended with his best figures in one-day cricket – 4/42. SSC boosted by an unbeaten knock of 67 off 85 balls (3 fours, 1 six) from skipper Nipun Dananjaya and contributions of 41 and 40 from Danushka Gunathilaka and Krishan Sanjula respectively romped home in the 45th over.

Badureliya SC kept their chances of qualifying from Group B alive with a 32-run win on the DLS method against Panadura SC at Maggona. The win kept Badureliya SC in second spot with 13 points and a game to play. Badureliya SC’s win was engineered by veteran spinner Chanaka Komasaru (4/44) to dismiss Panadura SC for 184 and opener Ayana Siriwardhana whose innings of 92 off 60 balls (9 fours, 7 sixes) saw them reach 178-7 in 27.3 overs at the stoppage which was 31 runs more than the par score of 147. Left-arm spinner Nimesh Vimukthi took 4/49.

Third and fourth placed NCC (12 points) and Bloomfield (11 points) also kept in the hunt for a semi-final berth with wins over Nugegoda SWC and Kandy Customs CC. Kamil Mishara top scored with 65 off 107 balls (2 fours) in NCC’s score of 250-9. Nugegoda SWC were bowled out for 204 despite a fighting all-round performance from Tillakaratne Sampath (4/59 and 58). Nugegoda SWC were at one stage 155-2 but lost their remaining eight wickets for 49 runs to lose by 46 runs at Moratuwa. Sri Lankan seamer Lahiru Madushanka took 4/29 to bowl Bloomfield (161) to a 37-run win over Kandy Customs CC (124) at Bloomfield grounds in a low scoring game.  

Colts’ chances of qualifying for a semi-final spot from Group A were jolted by a six-wicket loss to CCC at Colts grounds. Colts remain in second spot with 12 points with a game to play. Pavan Ratnayake’s 88* off 87 balls (6 fours, 5 sixes) saw CCC overhaul Colts total of 227-9 in 43 overs. CCC are lying fourth with 11 points. Sebastianites (13) retained their position at the top of Group A by defeating third placed Negombo CC (12) by 96 runs at Katunayake. In reply to Sebastianites 207, Negombo CC managed only 111. 

The two finalists of last year champions Tamil Union and runner-up Army SC both bowed out of the tournament with defeats. While Army SC lost to SSC, Tamil Union were beaten by five wickets by Moors SC at Moors SC grounds. Chasing a target of 116 Moors SC lost their first four wickets for 24 before Pasindu Sooriyabandara steadied their run chase with 50* off 65 balls (3 fours).

In the other matches completed yesterday, Vishad Randika’s 95* off 79 balls (4 fours, 6 sixes) carried Police SC to an eight-wicket win over Kurunegala YCC at Police grounds, and Galle CC beat Air Force SC by seven wickets at Katunayake. Umega Chaturanga (4/27), Irosha Samarasooriya (61) and Shalith Fernando (77*) contributed towards their win.