Tharanga, Niroshan, Pawan assure NCC league title
Skipper Upul Tharanga led from the front as he along with Niroshan Dickwella and Pawan Wickramasinghe who made match winning knocks, has assured NCC the 2013/14 domestic cricket league title when play stopped for tea on day three in their Premier Super Eight cricket encounter against traditional rivals SSC played at Panagoda.
NCC came into the game needing just a first innings win to clinch the title and they achieved it in style thanks to skipper Tharanga and Dickwella who together laid the foundation when they put on a mammoth 170 runs opening wicket partnership.
CCC players celebrate a SLPA wicket
This was after SSC was bowled out for a score of 288 just before the lunch break on day two. NCC in reply was in a sound footing when play ended on day two with a score of 187 for 1 and they continued to frustrate the SSC bowlers.
Tharanga who was unbeaten on 164 which included 19 boundaries and a six along with Pawan on 86 with 11 boundaries was at the crease having associated themselves in an unbroken 198 runs for the second wicket and NCC on 368 for 1.
NCC coached by veteran cricketer Sajith Fernando a name synonymous in the domestic cricket fraternity is winning the league title after a lapse of 13 years with the last being in the 2001/02 season when the side was led by Hashan Tilekeratne.
This season NCC was also the runner up in the limited over tournament ending a successful campaign under the leadership of Upul Tharanga.
Meanwhile with the title confirmed for NCC the other three matches being played are of academic interest with Tamil Union and CCC having already gained a first innings win over Army SC and SLPA CC respectively while Moors SC ended up making 268 against Ragama CC who went into the tea break on 51 for 2.
At Panagoda:
SSC 288 (Kaushal Silva 109, Thilina Kandamby 65, Kaushal Lokuarachchi 30 Tharanga Paranavithana 24, Upul Bandara 23: Tharindu Kaushal 4 for 104, Dushmantha Chameera 3 for 49)
NCC (187/1 overnight) 368 for 1 (Niroshan Dickwella 87, Upul Tharanga 164 n.o., Pawan Wickramasinghe 86 n.o.)
At FTZ Katunayake:
SLPA’s Prashan Wickramasinghe was in top form. He followed up with an unbeaten 36 after hitting 52 not out in the first innings - Pix by Amila Gamage
Tamil Union 276 (Denuwan Rajakruna 88, Rumesh Buddika 55, Chanaka Welagedera 33, Pabasara Waduge 27, Pulina Tharanga 27, Manoj Sarathchandra 26: Ravindra Palleguruge 6 for 105, Shalika Karunanayake 2 for 28, Lakshan Madusanka 2 for 63) and 40 for no loss (Manoj Sarathchandra 23 n.o., Pabasara Waduge 15 n.o.)
Army SC (128/4 overnight) 226 (Mohamed Feshal 58, Shalika Karunanayake 39, Leo Frnasisco 28, Rishan Kavinga 18, Chathura Damith 25 n.o.: Chamikara Edirisinghe 6 for 66, T.N. Sampath 2 for 35)
At NCC:
SLPA CC 269 (Sachithra Serasinghe 78, Yohan de Silva 50, Ashan Priyanjan 32, Chalanaka Weerasinghe 15, Prashan Wickramasinghe 52 n.o.: Lakshan Rangika 5 for 62, Chathuranga Kumara 2 for 26, Dinuka Hettiarachchi 2 for 74) and 229 for 6 (Ashan Priyanjan 44, Yohan de Silva 41, Mahela Udawatte 34, Sachithra Serasinghe 22, Gayan Maneeshan 18, Prashan Wickramasinghe 36 n.o., Isuru Udana 34 n.o.: Lakshan Rangika 2 for 75, Dinuka Hettiarachchi 2 for 96)
CCC (334/8 overnight) 356 (Chamara Silva 154, Maduka Liyanapathiranage 75, Lasith Abeyratne 57, Dilesh Gunaratne 17 n.o.: Isuru Udana 4 for 72, Chaminda Bandara 3 for 64, Chalanaka Weerasinghe 2 for 46)
At Maggona:
Moors SC (210/4 overnight) 268 (Kaushlaya Gajasinghe 80, Janaka Gunaratne 45, Isham Ghouse 33, Harsha Cooray 32, Shehan Jayasuriya 31: Sajeewa Weerakoon 4 for 76, Malinga Bandara 3 for 28)
Ragama CC 51 for 2 (Michael Vandort 23 n.o.)