SSC and Colts clash in final showdown
The curtain of the SLC Premier Limited Over cricket tournament will come down with the final clash between defending champions SSC and Colts scheduled to be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium from 9.45am onwards today.
The two teams booked their berths to the final by securing wins over Moors SC and Ragama CC in the semi-final encounters which were played on Thursday and Friday.
The two teams secured wins on the Duckworth/Lewis method with SSC recording a close five runs win and Colts recording a comfortable 65 runs victory on the D/L method.
In fact the two teams ended the round robin stage as the second best team in their respective groups whilst the semi-finals wins were against the two teams that ended the group’s as the top team.
In the run up to the final SSC recorded four wins against CCC, Tamil Union, Ragama CC and Badureliya SC while losing to Saracens SC with the match against Army SC ending in a no decision in the six matches they played.
Colts too had the same record securing four wins against Bloomfield, Chilaw Marian, SLPA CC and Air Force SC losing once to Moors SC and the match against NCC ending in a no decision.
The two teams will be sans some of their top players as they are in national duty with the Sri Lanka team in New Zealand. SSC led by Thilina Kandamby deputising for Dimuth Karunaratne who along with Kaushal Silva will be missed. Added to that ace spinner Sachithra Senanayake too will not take the field as he has sprained his ankle and will not be fit to play.
Colts led by Nuwan Kulasekera will only be missing the services of one player in Dilruwan Perera so they will be taking the field with almost the same team that have been playing right throughout the tournament.
However the match is no doubt going to be interesting as the two teams posses hard hitting batsmen and bowlers who are capable of turning the game in their favour.
SSC will depend their batting on Tharanga Paranavithana who has been their top scorer and also has a ton and a half ton under his belt. The return of Mahela Jayawardena will add some power to the side.
Even though Mahela was unable to make any impression in the semi-final match he will be the player to watch for the Colts bowlers. SSC will also be pinning their hopes in the batting in Minod Bhanuka, skipper Kandamby, Dasun Shanaka and Thisara Perera to put up a challenging score on the board. SSC has a well balanced bowling attack in pacies Binura Fernando, Thisara Perera, Kasun Madusanka and Dasun Shanaka with spinners Jeffrey Vandersay and Ramesh Mendis to support the foursome to curtail the opponents’ batting.
Colts batting will revolve around Kusal Perera, Roshen Silva their centurion, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Shehan Jayasuriya and Bhanuka Rajapakse who together will have to put their heads down and spearhead for the side to post a formidable score.
Skipper Kulasekera should lead from the front in the bowling attack and the support of pacies Ishan Jayaratne and Anuk Fernando along with spinners Sachith Pathirana, Akila Dhananjaya and Shehan Jayasuriya will no doubt be wanting if they are to restrict the SSC batting.
However an interesting tussle is on the card but the prevailing weather will play a major role as the two semi final encounters was curtailed due to the bad weather and with SSC looking forward to make a repeat and Colts seeking to prevent SSC from achieving it.
As mentioned let’s look forward to a full day’s play and with both teams possessing experience and up and coming players a keenly fought contest is no doubt on the cards.
| The teams: SSC: Thilina Kandamby (Capt), Mahela Jayawardena, Minod Bhanuka, Tharanga Paranavithana, Dasun Shanuka, Ramesh Mendis, Thisara Perera, Kasun Madusanka, Jeffrey Vandersay, Binura Fernando, Dhanushka Gunatilleke, Chamara Kapugedera, Charith Jayampathi. Colts: Nuwan Kulasekera (Capt), Kusal Perera, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Shehan Jayasuriya, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Roshen Silva, Priyamal Perera, Sachith Pathirana, Anuk Fernando, Ishan Jayaratne, Akila Dhananjaya, Shehan Fernando, Madura Lakmal. |