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Dinesh Chandimal responds to T20 snub with an unbeaten fifty for Army SC
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Sri Lanka batsman Dinesh Chandimal left out of the 18-member squad to face Australia in three T20Is scored an unbeaten 50 off 43 balls to steer Army SC to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Moors SC in a SLC Major T20 inter-club fixture played yesterday.
Army SC inviting Moors SC to take first strike dismissed them for 131 with only Chaturanga de Silva making any sort of contribution scoring a power-packed 61 off 34 balls with five sixes and three fours.
Moors SC were in deep trouble at 11-4 when De Silva made his appearance to give the total some respectability by sharing an 81-run stand with Mohammad Shamaaz who played an anchor role scoring 29 off 35 balls before he was the ninth batsman dismissed.
The damage to the Moors SC innings was done by seamers Lakshan Gamage and Yasoda Mendis and the leg-spin of Suminda Lakshan.
Army got their run chase off in style with openers Ashan Randika and Chandimal posting 64 for the first wicket off 5.5 overs. Although Chandimal lost Randika run out for a lively 39 off 17 balls (3 sixes, 4 fours), he carried on to see his team home with 20 balls to spare hitting four sixes and a four in his innings of 53*. Army SC climbed to the top of Group D with this win relegating Moors SC for whom it was their first defeat to second place.
Saracens SC became the new Group A leaders with a stunning five-wicket win over a star-studded CCC side. In a seven-over shoot out, CCC with five national cricketers in their ranks – skipper Ashan Priyanjan, Minod Bhanuka, Kamindu Mendis, Vishwa Fernando and Malinda Pushpakumara were restricted to a score of 49-5 by 17-year-old Sri Lanka U19 World Cup leg-spinner Malsha Tharupathi who in his quota of two overs took 2 for 6.
Saracens SC stuttered at the beginning, losing their first wicket without a run on the board and then being 27-5 at one stage before an unbroken partnership between Navindu Vithanage and Isitha Wijesundera saw them home with five balls to spare.
While Saracens SC head Group A with eight points, Ace Capital CC and Air Force SC with wins yesterday drew level on points (7) with SSC for second spot in the group. Ace Capital won by 92 runs against Badureliya SC with national Test opener Oshada Fernando scoring a 25-ball innings of 44* (4 fours, 1 six) and Shehan Fernando slamming four sixes in his knock of 43 off 33 balls to help them to a score of 181-6.
Badureliya SC’s innings was derailed by left-arm spinner Chanaka Devinda who opened the bowling and took three wickets for 12 runs to keep the opponents down to a paltry total of 89-8. Only Gihan Rupasinghe offered any sort of resistance remaining unbeaten on a 47-ball 51*.
In another rain shortened game Air Force SC beat Lankan CC by four wickets. Movin Subasingha’s off-breaks (3/9) kept Lankan CC down to a score of 48-7. Air Force managed to squeeze out a win with a ball to spare.
In a low scoring match at the CCC grounds, Galle CC beat Navy SC by 37 runs with spinners holding the upper hand in both innings. Galle CC put into bat first were dismissed for 98, but Navy SC fared even worse in their reply being shot out for 61.
Hareen Buddila (4/12) and Ravishka Wijesiri (3/7) destroyed the Navy SC’s batting with their left-arm orthodox spin. For Navy SC, former Sri Lanka off-spinner Sachitra Senanayake making an appearance after nearly two years took three wickets for 15 runs and top scored for them with 20. In another match Kalutara TC beat Bloomfield by four runs under the D/L method.
Results
At CCC: Galle CC beat Navy SC by 38 runs
At CCC: Air Force SC beat Lankan CC by four wickets
At P. Sara Oval: Army SC beat Moors SC by seven wickets
At P. Sara Oval: Saracens SC beat CCC by five wickets
At SSC: Ace Capital CC beat Badureliya SC by 92 runs
At SSC: Kalutara TC beat Bloomfield by four runs (D/L method)
