SLPA CC crushes CCC with a day to spare
Sri Lanka Port Authority CC began their campaign of the Premier league cricket tournament on a winning note when they crushed CCC by an innings and three runs in the match played at the CCC ground.
The writing on the wall was there for CCC when play ended on day one after being bundled for a poor score of 103 with SLPA CC ending the day on 181 for 6.
Navy’s Lahiru Jayakody misses a shot - Pix by Ranjith Perera
SLPA CC resuming on their overnight score went on to make 222. CCC batting the second time with a deficit of just 119 runs put in another pathetic batting performance as they were unable to come into terms with Madusanka Ekanayake and Malinda Pushpakumara and succumbed to another low score of 116.
NCC’s left hand opening batsman Niroshan Dickwella slammed a swashbuckling career best 209 while skipper Upul Tharanga and Jehan Mubarak cracked tons helping the side resuming on their overnight score of 253 for no loss to amass a massive 630 for 6 declared against Badureliya CC on day two in the match played at the NCC ground.
Niroshan’s knock which came off just 153 balls comprised 20 boundaries and five towering sixes while Pawan Wickramasinghe with whom he put on a massive opening wicket stand of 253 made 70 being dismissed in the first ball on day two.
Niroshan also was associated in a valuable 71 runs for the second wicket with skipper Upul Tharanga. This was followed by another massive partnership for the third wicket between Tharanga and Mubarak which yielded 215 runs.
The opening day’s play saw Badureliya CC invited to take first lease of the wicket being made to struggle for their runs by the right arm spin and pace attack of Tharindu Kaushal and Dushmantha Chameera and was bowled out for 179. Badureliya CC batting the second time ended the day on 24 for no loss.
Udara Jayasundara too went on a run spree when he slammed a 171 for Ragama CC helping them end the second day’s play on 323 for 2 in reply to Bloomfield’s 293 in the match played at Reid Avenue.
Udara’s innings comprised 18 boundaries and five sixes and also shared a 181 runs opening wicket stand with Janith Liyanage who made a 64.
An unbeaten 118 by inclusive of three boundaries and five sixes by Tharanga Paranavithana supported by half tons from Dhanushka Gunatilleke and Thilina Kandamby saw SSC end day two on 323 for 2 in reply to Army SC’s score of 299 in the match played at the SSC ground.
Moors SC has already taken a first innings lead over new comers Saracens SC when play stopped on day two at Katunayake. Moors SC in reply to the visitors score of 243 thanks to an unbeaten 105 by Kaushalya Gajasinghe made 289.
NCC opener Niroshan Dickwella hit his career best with a double hundred
Half tons by Harsha Vithana and Angelo Jayasinghe saw Colts take the upper hand against Air Force SC when play stopped on day two at the Air Force ground in Katunayake.
At CCC:
CCC 103 (Chamara Silva 35, Lakshan Sandakan 17: Malinda Pushpakumara 5 for 37, Chaminda Bandara 3 for 43, Madusanka Ekanayake 2 for 21) and 116 (Prasanna Jayawardena 31, Lakshan Sandakan 20, Hashan Dumindu 17: Madusanka Ekanayake 5 for 39, Malinda Pushpakumara 4 for 40)
SLPA CC (181/6 overnight) 222 (Ashan Priyanjan 72, Sachithra Serasinghe 40, Dhananjaya de Silva 30, Chaminda Bandara 20: Lakshan Sandakan 5 for 80, Dilesh Gunaratne 2 for 32, Maduka Liyanapathiranage 2 for 39)
At NCC:
Badureliya CC 179 (Gihan Rupasinghe 56, Suresh Niroshan 31, Imesh Udayanga 25, Dushan Vimukthi 23, Andy Solomons 15: Tharindu Kaushal 5 for 66, Dushmantha Chameera 2 for 48) and 24 for no loss
NCC (253/0 overnight) 630 for 6 declared (Niroshan Dickwella 209, Upul Tharanga 135, Jehan Mubarak 124, Pawan Wickramasinghe 70, Farveez Maharoof 33, Angelo Perera 25, Sandun Weerakkody 16 n.o.: Milinda Siriwardena 4 for 93)
At Reid Avenue:
Bloomfield 293 (Madawa Warnapura 71, Primosh Perera 42, Nadeera Nawala 30, Lahiru Madusanka 30, Suraj Randiv 24, Kusal Mendis 19, Chathura Randunu 16: Amila Aponso 3 for 75, Malinga Bandara 2 for 39, Alankara Asanka 2 for 58, Nilanka Premaratne 2 for 60)
Ragama CC (23/0 overnight) 325 for 2 (Udara Jayasundara 171, Janith Liyanage 64, Heshan Wanniarachchi 60 n.o)
At FTZ Katunayake:
Army SC (282/8 overnight) 299 (Adeesha Thilanchana 64, Shalika Karunanayake 57, Janith Silva 27, Asela Gunaratne 23, Manjula de Zoysa 18, Sanka Ridma 62 n.o.: Charith Jayampathi 3 for 54, Kasun Madusanka 2 for 82, Jeffrey Vandersay 2 for 83)
SSC 323 for 3 (Dhanushka Gunatilleke 50, Vishwa Wijeratne 46, Tharanga Paranavithana 118 n.o., Thilina Kandamby 99 n.o.: Seekkuge Prasanna 2 for 55)
At Katunayake:
Saracens SC 243 (Kanishka Amarasinghe 72, Damith Priyadharshana 66, Sajeewa Salgado 33, Upul Indrasiri 16: Dilhara Lokuhettige 5 for 44, Janaka Gunaratne 2 for 29) and 4 for no loss
Moors SC (14/0 overnight) 289 (Oshada Fernando 54, Janaka Gunaratne 44, Dilhara Lokuhettige 23, Kaushalya Gajasinghe 105 n.o.: Prabath Jayasuriya 4 for 77, Upul Indrasiri 2 for 86)
At Air Force ground Katunayake:
Air Force 190 (Sajith Kelumpriya 44, Angelo Emmanuel 37, Suranga Lakmal 28, Shohan Rangika 22, T. Nadeera 15: Akila Dhananjaya 3 for 36, Dilruwan Perera 3 for 45) and 183 for 7 (Sanjeewa Bulathwala 49, Sajith Kelumpriya 30, Pasindu Lakshanka 23, T. Nadeea 20, Akila Isanka 42 n.o.: Akila Dhananjaya 3 for 65, Dilruwan Perera 2 for 35)
Colts (158/3 overnight) 365 (Harsha Vithana 88, Angelo Jayasinghe 80, Kusal Janith 48, Dilruwan Perera 30, Dilruwan Perera 30, Anuk Fernando 30, Shehan Jayasuriya 18, Sadeera Samarawickrama 16: Shohan Rangika 4 for 85, Akila Isanka 3 for 70, Achira Eranga 2 for 65)