Colts, SSC continue unbeaten run while Army stumble

Colts opener Dhananjaya Lakshan who made 88 against Saracens SC at Havelock Park celebrates his half-century‍

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Defending champions Colts and SSC maintained their unbeaten run in the Major Club Youth (Under-23) cricket tournament with facile wins, while Army SC suffered their first loss in five matches when they went down by five wickets to Badureliya CC in the 12 matches concluded yesterday.

Two of the matches were abandoned without a ball bowled, while two others began late and were played with reduced overs.   

A skipper’s knock of 87 not out by opener Dunith Jayatunga saw Badureliya CC turn tables on Group A leaders Army SC and win by five wickets. Army, who were unbeaten so far in the tournament having won all their four matches played, suffered their first defeat when Jayatunga helped his team chase down the total of 181 with 2.5 overs to spare. Army never recovered from losing their two in-form openers Harith Fernando (1) and the tournament’s leading run-getter Bishan Mendis (golden duck) for two and managed to come up with only a moderate total which Badureliya had no difficulty in reaching. Defending champions Colts came up with a thoroughly professional performance to outplay Saracens SC by 162 runs. Winning the toss and batting first, Colts totalled a decent 209 thanks largely to opener Dhananjaya Lakshan who made a top score of 88 off 118 balls. Saracens in their turn were shot out for the lowest total of the ongoing tournament – 47 in 18.3 overs. Their batsmen were all at sea against two former Sri Lanka Under-19 World Cup players; Dilshan Madushanka, the former Hungama Vijayabahu Central left-arm medium-fast bowler who returned figures of 4 for 9 off 4.4 overs and Rohan Sanjaya, the former Tissa MMV Kalutara left-arm spinner who finished off the innings taking 3 for 15.

Tamil Union completed their group matches in style with an emphatic 216-run win over Kandy Customs CC. Their match winner was former Maris Stella Negombo cricketer Ravindu Fernando who produced a superb all-round performance (107 off 92 balls, 9 sixes, 2 fours and 2 wickets for 24 runs). Tamil Union who were put into bat first were at one stage 99-5 until Fernando arrived at the crease and turned the game around with his power hitting that saw them eventually end up with a challenging total of 284-7. Former Joseph Vaz right-arm fast bowler Kanishka Hasitha ran through the Kandy Customs batting taking 5 for 12.              

Ragama CC’s former St. Servatius College Matara left-arm spinner Shahika Dilshan took 5 for 18 as last year’s finalists Chilaw Marians CC crashed to a 39-run defeat.

At Panadura, Air Force SC pulled off a thrilling one-wicket win over Panadura SC. Air Force chasing 183 for victory were seen home by their captain Shashika Priyamal who scored an unbeaten 31 off 28 balls after they were 139-8 at one stage. Panadura also recovered from 70-8 to total 182 through a belligerent knock of 76 off 55 balls (6 sixes, 5 fours) from their no. 10 batter Ashan Dilhara.  

SSC won the battle for top position of Group D when they defeated CCC by 51 runs in a match reduced to 36-overs-a-side because of a wet outfield. Two brilliant half-centuries from Sri Lanka Under-19 World Cup captain Nipun Dhananjaya (84 not out off 98 balls) and Ashen Bandara (57 off 45 balls) starred in SSC’s win.  

NCC suffered their first loss when they were beaten by Moors SC in a match reduced to 22 overs.

RESULTS

At Maggona: Badureliya CC beat Army SC by five wickets.

Army SC 181 (45.2) (Shehan Fernando 45, Heshan Hettiarachchi 41, Sanjeew Coomaraswamy 26, Rishika Santush 20, Nirmala Ratnayake 2/20, Ruchira Koshitha 2/33, Mithira Thenura 2/35, Jalinda Jayod 2/13)

Badureliya CC 185-5 (47.1) (Dunith Jayatunga 87 n.o., Mithira Thenura 32, Heshan Hettiarachchi 2/33)    

At De Soysa Stadium: Sebastianites beat Navy SC by eight wickets.

Navy SC 72 (33) (Shivan Perera 20, Nadith Mishendra 2/14, Kalana Sandeep 2/14, Tharusha Fernando 3/19, Praveen Cooray 2/14)

Sebastianites 73-2 (15.2) (Sachin Fernando 26, Rayan Fernando 20 n.o.)

At BRC: Nugegoda S&WC beat BRC by 23 runs.

Nugegoda S&WC 220 (48.4) (Abishek Liyanarachchi 42, Amitha Dabare 37, Vikum Kalhara 28, Sakuna Liyanage 22, Muditha Lakshan 21, Thashika Nirmal 21 n.o., Kevin Koththigoda 2/43, Malinda Abishek 2/33, Savindu Uthsara 3/33)

BRC 197 (48.5) (Raminda Wijesooriya 42, Lahiru Attanayake 28, Shashika Ratnayake 33 n.o., Nisal Francisco 22, Savindu Uthsara 21, Thashika Nirmal 3/45, Amitha Dabare 2/23)

At Katunayake (MCG): Ragama CC beat Chilaw Marians CC by 39 runs.

Ragama CC 186 (50) (Nishan Madushka 53, Dellon Peiris 27 n.o., Sanjula Bandara 23, Hasitha Rajapakse 21, Asitha Fernando 3/27, Dasun Seneviratne 2/35)

Chilaw Marians CC 147 (43.2) (Raveen Yasas 42, Dasun Seneviratne 33, Nipun Kanchana 2/28, Shashika Dulshan 5/18)    

At Panadura: Air Force SC beat Panadura SC by one wicket.

Panadura SC 182 (43.1) (Ashan Dilhara 76, Janidu Inuwara 33, Chamod Sandaru 21, Nusky Ahamed 3/47, Shashika Priyamal 3/35)

Air Force SC 183-9 (48.1) (Chaamikara Hewage 34, Shashika Priyamal 31 n.o.,  Shabik Ifthary 23, Ravindu Sembakuttige 21, Sandaruwan Chinthaka 25, Kaumal Nanayakkara 3/34, Nipuna Deshan 2/37, Sasanka Nirmal 3/38)  

At Bloomfield: Match abandoned without a ball bowled (wet outfield)

Negombo CC v Lankan CC

At Colts: Colts beat Saracens SC by 162 runs.

Colts 209 (48.3) (Dhananjaya Lakshan 88, Jehan Daniel 38, Nipun Malinga 21, Kavindu Dilhara 2/43, Kavika Dilshan 2/57, Gihan Ebert 3/17)

Saracens SC 47 (18.3) (Bihanga Mendis 13, Dilshan Madushanka 4/9, Rohan Sanjaya 3/15, Amantha Gunaratne 2/5)

At Moors: Moors SC beat NCC by three wickets.

NCC 141-9 (22) (Thewin Amarasinghe 28, Hasitha Boyagoda 28, Kamil Mishara 23, Wanuja Kumara 26, Malinga Amarasinghe 2/16, Praveen Jayawickrama 4/44)

Moors SC 143-7 (18.4) (Kavishka Anjula 61, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 31, Chamika Gunasekera 2/32, Matheesha Pathirana 2/22)

At Dombagoda: Kalutara TC beat Sri Lanka Ports Authority CC by two wickets.

Sri Lanka Ports Authority 127 (34) (Dilhara Polgampola 52, Keshara Nuwantha 21, Danal Hemananda 2/20, Lasindu Aroshana 3/22, Maduwinda Siriwardana 2/18, Nishan Perera 2/25)

Kalutara TC 133-8 (32.4) (Shehan Dilshan 38, Likshan Sasanga 25, Danal Hemananda 21 n.o., Kavindu Ridmal 2/24, Themal Bandara 3/33)

At CCC: SSC beat CCC by 51 runs.

SSC 182-4 (36) (Nipun Dhananjaya 84 n.o., Ashen Bandara 57, Ruvin Seneviratne 2/19)

CCC 131 (31.2) (Malindu Maduranga 34, Pawantha Weerasinghe 31, Pavan Ratnayake 22, Lakshitha Manasinghe 2/27, Sammu Ashan 3/22, Kavindu Nadeeshan 2/28)

At Welagedera Stadium: Match abandoned without a ball bowled (wet outfield)

Kurunegala YCC v Bloomfield

At P Sara Oval: Tamil Union beat Kandy Customs CC by 216 runs.

Tamil Union 284-7 (50) (Ravindu Fernando 107, Supun Kavinda 42, Kamesh Nirmal 40,  Sachindu Colombage 44 n.o., Navod Paranavithana 22, Nadeesh Bandara 2/24, Harindu Jayasekera 3/39)

Kandy Customs CC 68 (23.5) (Harindu Jayasekera 21, Kanishka Hasitha 5/12, Ravindu Fernando 2/24)

SSC opener Nipun Dhananjaya strokes a ball through the covers in the SLC Major Youth (U23) cricket match against CCC at Maitland Crescent yesterday. Dhananjaya top scored 84 not out.