Saturday Sep 21, 2024
Saturday Sep 21, 2024
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NCC’s Chaturanga de Silva celebrates scoring a century watched by CCC captain Kusal Mendis on the second day of the Premier Super Eight match played at the P. Sara Oval yesterday
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Sri Lanka batsman and CCC captain Kusal Mendis hit an unbeaten 80 as defending champions CCC took up the challenge thrown at them by NCC by posting 210 for 3 wickets by the close of the second day of the Premier Super Eight match played at the P. Sara Oval yesterday.
By piling up a massive 467, NCC had left CCC with a tall order to surpass that figure and gain the vital first innings points. Going into the third and final day today CCC still has a lot of work to do as they trail NCC by 257 runs with seven wickets in hand.
Former Sri Lanka cricketer Chaturanga de Silva, the elder brother of Sri Lanka one-day all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, hit a career best 159 for NCC – his 10th first-class hundred surpassing his previous highest of 150.
De Silva struck 15 fours and a six in his 229-ball innings that featured a double century stand of 204 for the sixth wicket with Sahan Arachchige who scored 62 off 142 balls that saw NCC resuming from their overnight total of 341-5 reach their final total.
That partnership really knocked the wind out of the CCC sails as they strived hard to keep the NCC total to within limits. Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara returned figures of 6 for 80 off 25.3 overs for CCC – the 65th time he has taken five wickets or more in his illustrious first-class career.
Saracens SC had a fight on their hands to top BRC’s first innings total of 392 when they ended the second day on 191-5, still requiring 201 runs with five wickets in hand.
BRC were boosted by former S. Thomas’ College Matara left-hander Raminda Wijesooriya who scored his third hundred from 20 first-class matches. Thanks to Wijesooriya’s effort BRC from their overnight 319-6 reached 392. Wijesooriya’s contribution was 109 off 163 balls inclusive of 13 fours and a six.
Ragama CC had Sri Lanka Army on the run when they hit up an imposing 501-9 declared and by the close had grabbed six Army wickets for 93 runs. Only former Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal put up any kind of resistance scoring a half century of 82 balls as the rest of the batting fell to the fast medium deliveries of Ishan Jayaratne and the left-arm spin of Sashika Dulshan who between have taken five wickets so far.
Earlier former Peterite Janith Liyanage scored his third first-class century – 107 not out off 227 balls with seven fours and a six and was well supported in the lower order by Binura Fernando (62) and skipper Amila Aponso (44) that lifted Ragama’s total from the overnight 294-5 to past the 500-run mark.
Following a lean spell with the bat left-hander Rumesh Buddika bounced back into form to score a brilliant 145 off 185 balls – his 16th first-class hundred to give Chilaw Marians a first innings lead of 97 over Colts. Buddika found the boundary on 20 occasions and with half century contributions from Lasith Croospulle and Kasun Vidura, Marians went past the Colts total of 302 with only half their side out.
Super Eight Day Two scores At P Sara Oval
At CCC
At SSC: Colts 302
At Katunayake
