NCC set for the kill against Moratuwa SC
NCC was set for the kill against Moratuwa SC when play ended on the second day in their Under 23 Division I cricket encounter at the NCC ground. They turned the game into their favour after undergoing some anxious moments in the morning session of play.
NCC in reply to Moratuwa SC’s score of 229, resuming on their overnight score of 48 for 2, was struggling on 128 for 6 at lunch but recovered to end their innings making a formidable 275 which came on the back of half tons by Tharindu Kaushal and Sahan Nanayakkara.
Colts’ Dinuk Wickramanayake drives against Moors - Pix by Ranjith Perera
Later Kaushal and Nanayakkara ran through the Moratuwa SC when they went into bat the second time with the duo sharing eight wickets between them to bundle Moratuwa SC for a paltry score of 84.
NCC was left with a simple run chase of 39 runs and at close they were 15 for 2 needing another 24 runs for victory with eight wickets in hand when play begins on the final day today.
A swashbuckling career best knock of 260 in only 205 balls by Moors SC skipper Shehan Jayasuriya supported by another knock of 104 by Kaushalya Gajasinghe helped Moors SC, resuming on their overnight score of 486 for 8, pile up a massive score against Colts who went into lunch on 129 for 3 on day two in their Under 23 Division One cricket encounter at Braybrooke Place.
Shehan’s enterprising knock included 29 boundaries and 13 towering sixes and he was associated in two fruitful partnerships – first of 162 runs for the second wicket with Oshada Fernando which laid the foundation for a big score and the other of 153 runs for the fifth wicket with Kaushalya Gajasinghe.
Colts in their turn helped by half tons from Angelo Jayasinghe, Dinuk Wickramanayake and Shehan Fernando ended day two on 322 for 9.
NCC’s Tharindu Kaushal cuts
Tamil Union has already taken a first inning lead over Ragama CC at the P. Sara Stadium. Tamil Union resuming on their overnight score of 69 for 3 went on to make 222 in reply to Ragama CC’s 202. Ragama CC batting the second time ended day two making 152 for 3.
Half tons by skipper Sanka Ramesh and Minod Bhanuka saw SSC resuming on their overnight score of 16 for no loss end the second day’s proceedings making a formidable score of 335 for 9 declared against Navy SC in the match played at the SSC ground.This was in reply to Navy SC’s 188 and batting the second time the sailors were 48 for no loss.
Half tons by Prashan Wickramasinghe and A.K. Tyron helped SLPA CC take a first inning lead over Army SC when play stopped on the second day at Panagoda.
An unbeaten ton by Pasindu Laksanka and supported by half tons from Kelum Nanayakkara and Kavindu Ashan enabled Air Force end day two making 278 for 9 in reply to Negombo CC’s 153 to take a first inning lead at Kadirana.
At NCC
Moratuwa SC 229 (Shanuka Dulaj 71, Hashan Chamara 37, Kasun Chamara 21, Deshan Dias 18, Krishan Weeraratne 39 n.o.: Saranga Rajaguru 4 for 45, Tharindu Kaushal 4 for 79) and 84 (Deshan Dias 33, Dhanuka Madushan 26: Sahan Nanayakkara 4 for 17, Tharindu Kaushal 4 for 33)
NCC (48/2 overnight) 275 (Tharindu Kaushal 75, Sahan Nanayakkara 51, Mohamed Dilshad 29, Pawan Wickramasinghe 19, Kaveen Bandara 16, Ruvindu Tilekeratne 24 n.o.: Chemila Obeysekera 6 for 53, Hashan Chamara 2 for 41) and 15 for 2
At Braybrooke Place
Moors SC (486/8 overnight) 492 (Shehan Jayasuriya 260, Kaushalya Gajasinghe 104, Oshada Fernando 48, Nipuna Kariyawasam 16, Irshad Umar 26 n.o.: Akila Dhananjaya 4 for 157, Julian de Zylva 2 for 85, Shehan Fernando 2 for 87)
Colts 322 for 9 (Angelo Jayasinghe 63, Dinuk Wickramanayake 63, Shehan Fernando 58, Harsha Rajapakse 38, Sadeera Samarawickrama 28, Sanitha de Mel 28, Charith Sudaraka 25 n.o.: Shehan Jayasuriya 3 for 59)
At P. Sara Stadium
Ragama CC 202 (Eranga Ratnayake 96, Supeshala Jayatileke 30, Tharindu Rukshan 24, Lahiru Malintha 19, Lahiru Jayaratne 15: Thineth Manishka 3 for 69, Minhaj Jaleel 2 for 22, Shifran Muthaliph 2 for 41) and 152 for 3 (Lahiru Milantha 61, Jason Perera 27, Dhananjaya de Silva 24, Janith Liyanage 36 n.o.)
Tamil Union (69/3 overnight) 222 (Pramod Liyanagamage 47, Shifran Muthaliph 40, Isuru Buddika 33, Ron Chandragupta 33, Manoj Sarathchandra 23: Amila Aponso 4 for 70, Tharindu Rukshan 2 for 24, Lahiru Jayaratne 2 for 59)
At SSC
Navy SC 188 (Madura Madusanka 46, Ishan Abeysekera 40, Avishka Peiris 26, Sameera Chathuranga 24, : Chamika Karunaratne 3 for 38, Dasun Shanaka 2 for 20) and 48 for no loss (Akash Senaratne 24 n.o., Yohan Zoysa 20 n.o.)
SSC (16/0 overnight) 335 for 9 declared (Sanka Ramesh 89, Minod Bhanuka 53, Dasun Shanaka 45, Kavindu Kulasekera 32, Vishwa Deemantha 26, Pathum Madusanka 38 n.o.: Kalhara Peiris 3 for 39, Ishan Abeysekera 3 for 63)
At Panagoda
Army SC 145 (Shehan de Silva 63 n.o.: Aravinda Premaratne 5 for 21, Anuk de Alwis 4 for 48) and 161 (Lakshitha Madushan 29, Dilshan Kanchana 27, Lakshan Edirisinghe 21, Sachintha Peiris 17: Anuk de Alwis 5 for 51, Aravinda Premaratne 3 for 44)
SLPA CC (106/5 overnight) 239 (Prashan Wickramasinghe 73, A.K. Tyron 66: Nadeesha de Mel 4 for 67, Lakshan Edirisinghe 3 for 17, Sachintha Peiris 2 for 36) and 0 for 0
At Kadiran
Negombo CC 153 (Akeel Inham 33, Shehan Madusanka 30, Sewwinda Silva 22, Malshan Gunasinghe 20: Pramoda Chathuranga 4 for 24, Kasun Rajitha 3 for 32, Dushan Vimukthi 2 for 33)
Air Force SC (6/1 overnight) 278 for 9 (Kelum. Nanayakkara 52, Kavindu Ashan 51, Udara Ranasinghe 38, Pasindu Laksanka 104 n.o.: Shehan Madusanka 4 for 62, Malshan Gunasinghe 2 for 67)