Cricket: Army beat SSC to reach T20 final

Army SC beat SSC by 5 wickets to qualify for the final of the AIA Premier Inter-Club Twenty20 Cricket Tournament played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo today (23).

SSC could not make much headway after being put into bat as they were restricted to 144 by the Soldiers who chased down the target losing just five wickets and with 14 deliveries to spare. 

Openers Danushka Gunathilaka top scored for SSC with a 19-ball knock of 25 which included two sixes as Thisara Perera faced 16 balls for his 22 and Minod Bhauka made 20 off 21 deliveries. 

Ajantha Mendis took two wickets while Manjua de Zoysa, Navantha Ratnayake, Janith Silva, Seekkuge Prasanna and Janaka Sampath claimed a wicket each. 

Army kept their momentum going until Shalika Karunanayake and Manjula de Zoysa got together to add 58 runs for the fourth wicket in no time. 

Karunanayake top scored for Army with a knock of 43 off 35 balls inclusive of three fours and four sixes while de Zoysa faced 36 deliveries for his 32 which had two fours and a six. 

Dilhara Fernando claimed two wickets, while Binura Fernando, Sachithra Senanayake and Thisara Perera took a wicket each. 

Army SC will meet Tamil Union in the final of the competition which will be played on Sunday (24) from 10.00am at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. 

SSC 144 all out (20) (Danushka Gunathilaka 25, Minod Bhanuka 20, Thisara Perera 22, Sachithra Senanayake 15, Ajantha Mendis 2/24)

Army SC 145 for 5 wickets (17.4) (Sulan Jayawardene 19, Manjula de Zoysa 32, Shalika Karunanayake 43, Seekkuge Prasanna 19n.o, Dilhara Fernando 2/32)