Cricket: Panadura SC and SLPA CC in close tussle in Tier 'B'

The Premier Inter-Club Cricket Tournament's 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 Sri Lanka Port Authority CC (SLPA CC). 

All nine teams in the fray have played six matches each so far and the lead between the top two teams Panadura SC and SLPA who is in second place is just slender. 

Even though Panadura SC is in the top second placed Sri Lanka Port Authority are having an advantage as they have recorded five outright wins against Air Force SC. Police SC, Kalutara PCC, Kalutara TC and Lankan CC while losing to Panadura SC in the first inning. 

On the other hand Panadura SC has four outright wins against Police SC, Lankan CC, Navy SC and Air Force SC and have secured first inning wins against Kalutara TC and SLPA CC. 

Third and fourth placed Navy SC and Lankan CC have recorded three outright wins each while Police SC who underwent early defeats and at one stage was last have bounced back to take the fifth position with two outright wins. 

Kalutara TC along with Kurunegala YCC and Kalutara PCC has one outright win while Air Force SC is the only team that has not been able to make any impression. 

The batsman in the top in this group is Hashan Prabath of Kurunegala YCC who has so far scored 516 runs with a best of 109 n.o. followed by Buddhika Hasaranga (462) of Navy SC, Maduranga Zoysa (444) of Lankan CC, Nipuna Gamage (420) of Kalutara TC, Ishan Rangana (415) of SLPA CC, Sameera Sandamal (4-5) of Navy SC and Yohan de Silva (405) of SLPA CC. 

Left arm orthodox spinner Gayan Sirisoma of Panadura SC is way ahead of others in the bowling department as he leads the bowling tally having bagged 64 wickets which includes eight five wicket hauls with a best bowling returns of 9 for 38n against Police SC which he achieved in the first match of the tournament. 

Chamikara Edirisinghe of SLPA CC is in second place with 42 wickets followed by Navin Kavikara of Lankan CC (40), Chanaka Komasaru of SLPA CC (36) and Rajeewa Weerasinghe of Lankan CC (35). 

Maduranga Zoysa of Lankan CC has the honour of making the highest individual score that 203 which he achieved against Kalutara TC. 

Lankan CC had the honour of making the highest score of the tournament so far that of 446 for 9 against Kalutara TC and also have two more scores of over 400 against Kalutara PCC (428) and against Kurunegala YCC (422) who again conceded 414 runs to Kalutara TC while SLPA CC too hit a score of 400 for 7 declared against Kalutara PCC. 

Two more matches are scheduled to be played which includes the postponed first round match that was due to be played in late November 2016, so it will be interesting to see who will come out on top in the ding dong battle that is in the offing at the moment between Panadura SC and SLPA CC.