Cricket: Panadura SC and SLPA CC in close tussle in Premier League Tier ‘B’

The Premier Tier B which was originally scheduled to be contested by ten teams was brought down to nine with the exclusion of Negombo CC is going to be a closely contested affair between Panadura SC and SLPA CC with the two teams having recorded three outright wins each, but Panadura SC have played four matches with SLPA CC three. 

Panadura SC’s three outright wins are against Police SC by innings and 15 runs, Lankan CC by nine wickets and Navy SC by 99 runs and a first inning win against Kalutara TC while SLPA CC’s three wins are over Air Force SC by innings and three runs, Police SC by innings and 14 runs and Kalutara PCC by innings and 78 runs. 

Third and fourth placed Lankan CC and Navy SC have two outright wins each while Kalutara TC, Kalutara PCC and Police SC have one outright win each with Kurunegala YCC and Air Force SC are winless. 

The batsman in the top in this group is Hashan Prabath of Kurunegala YCC who has so far scored 435 runs with a best of 109 n.o. followed by Mishen Silva (382) of Panadura SC, Pethum Nissanka (337) of Kalutara PCC, Sameera Sandamal (315) of Navy SC, Buddhika Hasaranga (310) of Navy SC and Nisal Randika (300) of Panadura SC. 

Left arm orthodox spinner Gayan Sirisoma of Panadura SC leads the bowling tally having bagged 51 wickets which includes the match against Air Force SC which was in progress and with a best bowling returns of 9 for 38 against Police SC in the first match of the tournament. 

Navin Kavikara of Lankan CC has taken 27 wickets while Chanaka Komasaru of SLPA CC 25 wickets with Chamikara Edirisinghe also of SLPA CC and Rajeewa Weerasinghe of Lankan CC 23 wickets each. 

There has been two other top bowling performances of eight wickets each which was in the same match between Police SC and Kurunegala YCC which was also in progress at the time of writing by Kalyana Rathnapriya (8/36) of Police SC and Thilina Herath (8/48) of Kurunegala YCC. 

Lankan CC had the honour of making the highest score of the tournament so far that 428 against Kalutara PCC and they made a 422 against Kurunegala YCC who again conceded 414 runs to Kalutara TC while SLPA CC too hit a score of 400 for 7 declared against Kalutara PCC. 

There are four more rounds of matches to be played in the Premier Tier B segment which is scheduled to come to an end on January 29 2017.