Gunawardena cracks unbeaten ton for NCC

Bad light and a slight drizzle hampered the second day’s play in all the Sirasa Premier League encounters played in and around Colombo with the matches being called off immediately after the lunch break. Only two matches - that between NCC and Saracens and Colts versus Chilaw Marians from the six were played late in the evening, but was again called off due to bad light.
Nevertheless in the encounter between NCC and Saracens opening batsman of NCC Kanchana Gunawardena cracked an unbeaten 128 in 191 balls, inclusive of ten boundaries and five towering sixes from his overnight score of 71, helping his side to declare their innings on 270 for 2 in reply to Saracens 121 before play was called off.

With only a few overs being bowled in the evening session NCC have put set themselves in record their second outright win as they had the Saracens in tatters on eight for four wickets still needing 143 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

Saracens 121 (Nilakshan Abeyratne 29, Gihan Joseph 25 n.o; Tharaka Kottehewa 3 for 22, Upul Chandana 2 for 17, Kosala Kulasekera 2 for 18, Chanaka Komasaru 2 for 18) and 8 for 4 (Chanaka Komasaru 3 for 2)

NCC (165/1 o’night) 270 for 2 declared (Ishan Muthaliph 81, Lasith Fernando 33, Kanchana Gunawardena 128 n.o.)

Colts make 356
Colts resuming from their overnight score of 335 for 8 went on to make 356 against Chilaw Marians on the second day’s play at the Colts grounds. The first day’s play saw half tons by Harsha Vithana and Dhanuka Pathirana help Colts to end the day in a strong position. The Marians in their turn were 65 for 3. The match will be continued at 9.30 a.m. today.

Colts (335/8 o’night) 356 (Harsha Vithana 87, Dhanuka Pathirana 71, Shantha Kalavitigoda 37, Sachitra Serasinghe 32, Jeewantha Kulatunge 29, Rashan Peiris 27, Ravindra Pushpakumara 37.; Dinuka Hettiarachchi 5 for 106, Hasantha Fernando 2 for 67)

Chilaw Marians 65 for 3 (Saman Tittagala 17, Charith Sylvester 42 n.o.; Ravindra Pushpakumara 2 for 17)

SSC make strong reply
An unbeaten 78 by Hans Fernando saw SSC make 267 in reply to Ragama CC’s score of at the FTZ grounds in Katunayake. Ragama CC batting the second time were badly placed on 51 for 4.

Ragama CC 198 (Indika de Saram 70, Duminda Perera 54, Dushantha Ranatunge 39.; Chaminda Vidanapathirana 4 for 29, Chamil Sumathipala 3 for 59) and 51 for 4 (Suren Perera 37) SSC (73/2 o’night) 267 (Hans Fernando 78 Shalika Karunanayake 42, Damith Indika 24.; Kaushalya Weeraratne 6 for 96, Duminda Perera 2 for 21)

CCC take lead
CCC have already obtained a first innings lead over Saracens who were bowled out for 87 thanks to four wicket hauls by Nuwan Perera and Sujeewa de Silva when play was stopped due to bad light in at the CCC grounds.

Badureliya CC 87 (Damitha Hunukumbura 39; Nuwan Perera 4 for 5, Sujeewa de Silva 4 for 31) and 48 for 1 (Suminda Mendis 21 n.o., Dimuth Fernando 21 n.o.)

CCC (116/6 o’night) 134 (Tharindu Mendis 33, Daminda Ranaweera 19, Michael Vandort 15; Malinga Surappullige 4 for 35, Lassana Dias 2 for 21)

Moors 239, Sebs 102/5
Sebastianites were 102 for 5 from their overnight score of 52 for 2 against Moors who made 239 in another encounter hampered by bad light and rain which at Braybrooke Place.

Moors 239 (Ruwin Peiris 59, Anil Ridgammanagedera 55, Hemantha Boteju 42; Charitha Buddhika 3 for 27, Himesh Silva 2 for 42, Alankara Asanka 2 for 44)

Sebastianites (52/2 o’night) 102 for 5 (Sumalka Perera 17, Dinusha Fernando 13 n.o; Dilhara Lokuhettige 4 for 50)

Bloomfield take upper hand
Bloomfield managed to get past Panadura’s score of 135 when they ended their innings making 183 at Reid Avenue. Panadura batting the second time were five for no loss when bad light stopped play after lunch.

Panadura 135 (Carmen Mapatuna 35, Anjula Perera 22; Mateesha Ranasinghe 3 for 21, Omesh Wijesiriwardena 2 for 30, Tharanga Lakshitha 2 for 56) and 5 for no loss.

Bloomfield - (115/6 o’night) 183 (Thilina Kandamby 61, Shanuka Dissanayake 45; Susantha Pradeep 6 for 60, Kelum Gangodawila 2 for 49, Sunendra Kumara 2 for 63)

KYCC in trouble
KYCC were struggling on 55 for 4 after Air Force helped by a knock of 98 from Mevan Porage made 336 on day two of their Premier Tier ‘B’ encounter at Rifle Green.

Air Force (336/9 o’night) 337 (Mevan Porage 98, Oshan Lasantha 48, Dinesh de Silva 42, Dileepa Wanasinghe 55 n.o.; Charith Tissera 3 for 53, Ramesh Subasinghe 3 for 57, Umal Erandika 2 for 59)

KYCC 55 for 4 (Iroshan de Silva 15 n.o., Charith Tissera 15 n.o.; Chamila Gamage 2 for 12)

Singha SC dominate
Singha SC dominated the second day’s play against Army in their Tier ‘B’ encounter at Uyanwatte Stadium in Matara yesterday. The match was played only in the afternoon session with Singha resuming on their overnight score of 47 for 2 making 188 to Army’s 170.

Army 170 (Manjula Soysa 28, Sriyan Sanjeewa 23, Ajantha Mendis 23; Malinda Pushpakumara 4 for 46, Neville Liyanage 3 for 56, Gihan Lankatileke 2 for 43)

Singha SC (47/2 o’night) 188 (Maduranga Soysa 32, Roshane Silva 28, Sameera Vithana 22, Neville Liyanage 21; Ajantha Mendis 5 for 40, Nuwantha Ratnayake 2 for 52)

Police 81/3
Only 23 overs were possible on the opening day’s play of the Tier ‘B’ encounter between Police and Lankan CC at the Police grounds yesterday with the home team making 81 for 3.

Police 81 for 3 (Nihal Soysa 19, Supun Nirmala 16, Mahesh Kuruppu 33 n.o.; Gayan Sirisoma 2 for 16) vs Lankan CC.