The harder they fall: SSC lose battle with relegation

• Arch-rival NCC win key contest and qualify for final with a game in hand
• SSC management cites many players’ international commitments and bad weather for relegation
• Ragama CC, Kandy Customs CC also join relegation list
• Roshan Wijenayake scores 200 and 100 in same match

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

One of the most prestigious cricket clubs in the country and the most successful club in domestic cricket, the Singhalese Sports Club (SSC), who recently celebrated their 125th anniversary, have lost their battle to avoid relegation in the SLC Major Club 3-Day Tournament, when they conceded first innings points in their final group game to NCC at the NCC grounds yesterday.

SSC required an outright win with full points to keep their chances of being relegated alive, but in reply to NCC’s first innings of 379, SSC fell short by 27 runs, being dismissed for 352 despite a valiant maiden first-class century from former Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda, cricketer Sasindu Malshan (108 off 189 balls, 10 fours, 1 six). By the close, NCC had piled up enough batting points to put themselves clear of heading Group B and qualifying for the final, still with a game in hand. In NCC’s second innings total of 337-5, Kamil Mishara scored 105 off 133 balls (11 fours, 1 six), Ahan Wickramasinghe 53, Niroshan Dickwella 71, and Kavin Bandara 51*. SSC used 10 bowlers in the innings.

SSC’s Cricket Management said: “The reason why SSC could not avoid relegation was that so many players had international commitments. Having said that, our second string is also good, but we were unfortunate in certain matches when we could have won – the weather went against us. Right throughout, we were minus a lot of national players, but SSC can’t give excuses – we have won championships without national players. However, with the number of teams getting lesser and lesser, the competition is also strong. Overall, it was a very unlucky season for SSC.”

“We had a long chat with the players and told them anyone can leave the club but we expect everyone to remain because SSC has a very proud history. The way forward is that the entire team will remain and all the national players will come and play for SSC. We will win Tier B and get promoted and win the championship again. NCC and CCC also got relegated but they never went to Tier B. By default, they came back to Tier A. They never won and came. Today, all the national players were there at the match and they gave their assurance that they will remain with SSC.” 

Joining SSC in the relegation from Group B is Kandy Customs CC, who lost by five wickets to CCC at the CCC grounds. CCC completed the final rights on Day Three, reaching their target of 177 having resumed at 93-2. Inuka Karannagoda, the former Mahanama College all-rounder, completed a maiden half-century (65 off 85 balls, 5 fours, 3 sixes) in his second first-class match to follow his 5/53 in Kandy Customs CC’s second innings. Pawan Ratnayake (43) and Dhananjaya de Silva (31*) also contributed to the chase. Kandy Customs CC scored 165 and 212, and CCC 201, in their first innings.

Negombo CC kept their chances of avoiding relegation from Group A alive by beating Badureliya SC by 71 runs at BOI, Katunayake. Chasing a target of 207, Badureliya SC were dismissed in their second innings for 135, with Sri Lanka Test off-spinner Nishan Peiris returning with career best figures of 8/35 (match bag of 11/82). Negombo CC made 140 and 194, and Badureliya SC 128, in their first innings. 

Moors SC, lying second to NCC in Group B, completed a facile 10-wicket win against Kurunegala YCC at Welagedara Stadium, Kurunegala. Trailing by 179 runs in the first innings, Kurunegala YCC could manage only 189 in their second innings, leaving Moors SC the formality of knocking off 11 runs for victory. Left-arm spinner Chanuka Dilshan (4/37) brought about an early end to the Kurunegala YCC second innings after they resumed at 132-6. 

Nugegoda SWC and BRC played out a draw at the De Soysa Stadium, Moratuwa, with Nugegoda SWC taking first innings points. The points the two teams collected from the match were enough to keep them aloof from relegation. In reply to Nugegoda SWC’s first innings of 401-9 decl., BRC replied with 200, their batting being dismantled by left-arm spinner Chamika Edirisinghe (7/64). The highlight of the match was Roshan Wijenayake, Nugegoda SWC’s one drop batsman, scoring a double hundred (201*) and a hundred (105*). The club’s Captain Tillakaratne Sampath was out for 92 as Nugegoda SWC closed their second innings at 261-3. BRC scored 51-4 in their second innings after being set an improbable 463 to chase.

Despite a first innings loss to Panadura SC at Bloomfield grounds, Bloomfield went to the top of Group B. Bloomfield were unlucky not to grab full points, as Panadura SC’s last pair held on for 4.4 overs to deny them victory after being set 246 to chase. Panadura SC finished on 137-9. Bloomfield declared their second innings at 319-8 (Dushan Hemantha 6/112). 

Ragama CC, who lost to Chilaw Marians CC in two days, ended at the bottom of Group A and will be relegated.