Chamara, Charith shine as SSC emerge champions
Chamara Kapugedera and Charith Jayampathi shone as the duo guided SSC to the SLC Premier Limited Overs championship with a 54-run win over traditional rivals and neighbouring club NCC in the final played at the R. Premadas Stadiu yesterday.
Left-arm pacie Charith who ended with impressive figures of 4 for 49 gave SSC the much needed breakthrough which laid the foundation for their victory as NCC in pursuit of a formidable target of 279 succumbed to a score of 224.
Chamara Kapugedara (3rd from left) and his SSC team mates celebrate their triumph
Before the game began NCC had a setback as they had to take the field sans one of their top players Angelo Perera who had injured his hand the previous day during practice sessions which no doubt was a big blow for them. Charith made the breakthrough when he took the prize wicket of NCC’s top scorer Niroshan Dickwella in the first ball of the third over with the score on nine.
NCC lost two more quick wickets for the addition of 35 runs with Charith being responsible for both, by taking the wickets of skipper Upul Tharanga and Sandun Weerakkody as they slid to 44 for 3 in the 11th over which put them in a spot of bother.
Lahiru Udara and Jehan Mubarak began a recovery act for NCC with the duo defying the SSC bowlers for 15 overs adding a valuable 71 runs for the fourth wicket before they were separated with Lahiru being a victim of Kaushal Lokuarachchi having made 42 and NCC on 115 for 4.
Jehan did not last long as he followed 13 runs later being run out for dogged inning of 55 off 70 balls which included three boundaries and three sixes. Farveez Maharoof along with Kosala Kulasekera associated in a 44-run stand for the sixth wicket and the writing on the wall was there for NCC. From there on they lost wickets at regular intervals as Charith along with skipper Kaushal, Dhammika Prasad, Dilhara Fernando ran through the NCC batting to bowl them out for 224. The morning session of play saw Chamara Kapugedera with a
Left-arm paceman Charith Jayampthi bowled a spell of six overs to capture three top NCC wickets and went on to complete with four scalps setting SSC an easy victory in the final. - Pix by Amila Gamage
quick-fire 57-ball knock of 70 that included seven boundaries and three sixes laying the foundation for SSC after openers’ debutant Vishwa Wijeratne and Dhanushka Gunatileke gave them a flying start.
The pair put on a valuable partnership of 69 runs and this was followed by another useful 57-run stand for the fourth wicket between Kapugedera and Thilina Kandamby.
Later Kapugedara was involved in useful partnerships with Mithun Jayawickrama, his skipper Kaushal and Dhammika Prasad which propelled the SSC score enabling them end their innings making a challenging score of 278 for 9.
| Scoreboard
SSC innings |