Star-studded NCC roll over Bloomfield to win Major Clubs T20 title

Major Clubs T20 champions NCC 

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Star-studded NCC, with as many as 10 national players in their side, outplayed Bloomfield by eight wickets to retain the SLC Major Clubs T20 title in a low scoring final played at the P Sara Oval yesterday.

Last year, with the final being abandoned without a ball bowled, NCC and Colts were declared joint champions. But with the fickle weather making way for bright sunshine yesterday it allowed a full game to be played. The match began late due to wet ground conditions but the delay did not result in any reduction of overs.

Despite the good weather conditions, the final failed to go the full distance and lasted for only 16 of the 40 overs.

Bloomfield, invited to bat first, made a sorry spectacle of batting when they were shot out for 54 in 10.1 overs. The NCC bowling, comprising national players Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Chamika Karunaratne, Chamika Gunasekara, and Lasith Embuldeniya, proved too much for their liking. NCC captain and wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella had a field day as he snaffled onto six catches behind the wicket as no batsman got past 13.

NCC knocked the runs off in 5.5 overs without raising much sweat, losing two wickets in the process.

As champions, NCC picked up a cheque for Rs. 750,000 and a trophy, and Bloomfield as runner-up received Rs. 500,000. Left-arm spinner Embuldeniya with three wickets for five runs took the Player of the Final award of Rs. 75,000, while Chamika Karunaratne, also of NCC, won the Player of the Tournament award of Rs. 200,000. 

Other individual awards of Best Batsman and Best Bowler (each carrying prize money of Rs. 100,000) was won by Pawantha Weerasinghe of Ace Capital CC and Akila Dananjaya of Colts respectively.

The awards were presented by SLC Tournament Committee member Deepal Madurapperuma.

Scores:

 Bloomfield 54 (10.1) (Hasitha Boyagoda 13, Kasun Abeyratne 13, Chamika Karunaratne 2/21, Lasith Embuldeniya 3/5, Matheesha Pathirana 2/9)

NCC 55-2 (5.5) (Pathum Nissanka 18, Niroshan Dickwella 15*, Ravindu Fernando 2/25)

NCC Captain Niroshan Dickwella receives winning cheque and trophy

Player of the Final Lasith Embuldeniya (NCC)

Player of the Tournament Chamika Karunaratne (NCC)

Best Batsman Pawantha Weerasinghe (Ace Capital CC)

Best Bowler Akila Dananjaya (Colts)