SSC go atop of Group D with win over Tamil Union

CCC fast bowler Amshi de Silva destroyed the Kurunegala YCC innings for 105 taking five wickets for 23 runs at CCC grounds yesterday

• Six out seven SLC Major Club Youth U23 games decided on D/L rain rule

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

SSC won the battle for the top berth in Group D when they defeated Tamil Union by four wickets under the Duckworth/Lewis rain rule in a SLC Major Club Youth Under-23 tournament match played at the P. Sara Oval yesterday.

Tamil Union invited to bat first could only put up a score of 223 with Ravindu Fernando making a half-century off 41 balls with 3 sixes and 3 fours. Their batting was kept under check by new ball bowlers Kalana Perera and Himesh Ramanayake who took five wickets between them. 

SSC had their run chase interrupted by rain after 17 overs when they were cruising at 74 for no loss. When the match resumed they had their target revised to 222 off 46 overs. A well-paced out half-century from Nipun Dhananjaya and 40s apiece from Krishan Sanjula, Chamindu Wickramasinghe and captain Sammu Ashan saw them home with two balls to spare.     

Sri Lanka under 19 right-arm fast-medium bowler from Richmond College, Galle Amshi de Silva took his second five-for in the ongoing tournament when he ran through the Kurunegala YCC batting for 105 with figures of 5/23 to give CCC a win by four wickets under the Duckworth/Lewis rain rule. 

In the opening match of the tournament against Bloomfield he had figures of 5/12. Amshi had good support from former Peterite off-spinner Ruvin Seneviratne who picked up four wickets for 18. CCC’s target was revised to 100 runs off 36 overs after rain interrupted play when they had scored 16-2 off 5 overs.

A fine rear-guard action from Badureliya CC tailenders saw them pull off a two-wicket win over Nugegoda S&WC. Badureliya had their backs to the wall when they were six down for 72 chasing 223 to win in a match reduced to 45 overs a side. 

But wicket-keeper/batsman Ranesh Silva led a grand fight back scoring a match-winning knock of 67 not out off 70 balls (6 fours, 1 six) aided by valuable innings of 32 from Mihira Thenura and a fighting half-century off 43 balls from Avindu Theekshana that enabled Badureliya to pull off a remarkable win with an over to spare.

Lankan CC failed in their bid to go to the top of Group B when they were beaten by four wickets by Air Force SC. In a low scoring game Lankan CC could manage only 148 and Air Force chasing a revised target of 139 off 43 overs reached the score in the 40th over thanks to a productive innings of 67 not out off 96 balls from opener Ravindu Sembakuttige.

Former St. Sebastian’s College leg-break bowler Tharusha Fernando spun Sebastianites to a 34-run win (D/L rule) over Police SC with four wickets for 24 runs. Police chasing a revised target of 167 in 47 overs were bundled out for 132 in 40.3 overs.  

Opener Bishan Mendis thumped a superb 104 off 100 balls (9 fours, 4 sixes) and Pathum Kumara put the finishing touches to the Army innings with a fluent 71 not out off 57 balls (7 fours) as they coasted to an easy 62-run win over Navy SC under the D/L rain rule, It was the Army’s fourth successive victory in the tournament. Navy chasing a revised target of 177 off 22 overs after rain had interrupted play were restricted to 114-9.

Results

At Galle: Galle CC beat Kandy Customs CC by four wickets (D/L rule)

Kandy Customs CC 130-8 (23) (Sasith Priyal 25, Sasith Manuranga 28, Thanula Chamod 2/23, Kushan Madusha 2/23)

Galle CC 124-6 (22) (Ravishka Wijesiri 44, Kavindu Ediriweera 33, Imesh Madushanka 3/12)

At CCC: CCC beat Kurunegala YCC by four wickets (D/L rule)

Kurunegala YCC 105 (33.4) (Kaveen Bandara 21, Randeera Ranasinghe 24, Amshi de Silva 5/23, Ruvin Seneviratne 4/18)

CCC 100-6 (18) (Pawantha Weerasinghe 25, Pavan Ratnayake 27 n.o., Asitha Wanninayake 4/34)        

At Maggona: Badureliya CC beat Nugegoda S&WC by two wickets

Nugegoda S&WC 222 (44.3) (Abishek Liyanaarachchi 23, Pasindu Adithiya 31, Muditha Lakshan 24, Sakun Liyanage 81, Malinda Jayod 2/45, Ruchira Koshitha 3/29)

Badureliya CC 225-8 (44) (Dunith Jayatunga 21, Avishka Lakshan 21, Ranesh Silva 67 n.o., Mithira Thenura 32, Avindu Theekshana 51, Vimukthi Kulatunga 4/41, Thashika Nirmal 3/39)  

At Welisara: Army SC beat Navy SC by 62 runs (D/L rule)

Army SC 271-9 (47) (Bishan Mendis 104, Pathum Kumara 71 n.o., Akindu Karunaratne 3/63, Johanne de Zilwa 2/44)

Navy SC 114-9 (22) (Bhagya Dissanayake 21, Imesh Wiranga 21, Hashan Sandeepa 3/10, Gihan Koralage 2/24, Heshan Madushanka 2/29)

At Katunayake: Air Force SC beat Lankan CC by four wickets (D/L rule)

Lankan CC 148 (43.4) (Sawan Kankanange 21, Kevin Perera 29, Damith Silva 27, Kasun Ekanayake 3/31, Movin Subasinghe 2/28, Kasun Ravindu 2/23, Ravindu Sembakuttige 2/11)

Air Force SC 139-6 (39.4) (Ravindu Sembakuttige 67 n.o., Chaamikara Hewage 22, Movin Subasinghe 23 n.o., Yasiru Rodrigo 2/31, Sadun Sathsara 4/31)

At Police Park: Sebas-tianites beat Police SC by 34 runs (D/L rule)

Sebastianites 170 (49.1) (Rayan Fernando 23, Tharusha Samar-awickrama 23, Tharusha Fernando 46, Mohamed Faheem 3/10, Charuka Jayathilake 3/39, Resandu Thilakaratna 2/26)

Police SC 132 (40.3) (Bawantha Udangamuwa 29, Lakshitha Amarasekera 27, Hasindu Shamika 22, Hansa de Silva 2/25, Tharusha Fernando 4/24, Tharusha Samarawickrama 2/20)  

At P. Sara Oval: SSC beat Tamil Union by four wickets (D/L rule)

Tamil Union 235 (49) (Supun Kavinda 22, Kavindu Madarasinghe 45, Kamesh Nirmal 47, Ashan Fernando 23, Ravindu Fernando 56, Kalana Perera 2/38, Himesh Ramanayake 3/47)

SSC 223-6 (45.4) (Nipun Dhananjaya 62, Krishan Sanjula 45, Chamindu Wickramasinghe 40, Sammu Ashan 45 n.o., Sachindu Colombage 2/38, Raveen de Silva 2/26)