NCC captain Angelo Perera (right) and Chaturanga de Silva celebrate their double century partnership (212) against Tamil Union. Both batsmen scored hundreds

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

SSC opener Avishka Fernando returns to the pavilion after being dismissed for 132

SSC captain Charith Asalanka celebrates his second century of the tournament

Sri Lanka cricketers Wanindu Hasaranga and Kusal Mendis guided CCC to the top of Group A of the ongoing SLC Major Limited-Over Inter-Club Tournament with their third successive win, beating Air

Force by eight wickets. 

Leg-spinner Hasaranga took 5/38 to trigger a remarkable collapse as Air Force lost their last six wickets for 32 runs to be bundled out for 154. CCC made short work of that total with Mendis coming out of a lean patch of five ducks in six consecutive innings to score a dazzling 81* off 52 balls that included six sixes and five fours.

Skipper Charith Asalanka scored his second century of the tournament (101 off 89 balls) and Sri Lanka opener Avishka Fernando regained his form with a fluent 132 off 106 balls (13 fours, five sixes) as SSC powered their way to an eight-wicket win over Colts.

A double century partnership of 212 off 180 balls between skipper Angelo Perera (106 off 100 balls, 10 fours, two sixes) and Chaturanga de Silva (118 off 96 balls, seven fours, five sixes) saw NCC get 299/5 and beat Tamil Union by 37 runs.

23-year-old former Ananda College wicket-keeper/batsman Nipun Haggalla scored his maiden hundred at any level of domestic club cricket when he carved out a masterly 151 off 156 balls (11 fours, seven sixes) but his fine effort was in vain when Badureliya CC produced a powerful batting performance to win a high scoring game by six wickets. A 127-run unbroken stand between Dilshan de Soysa (55) and Gamindu Kanishka (77) saw them home with 15 balls to spare.

Defending champions Chilaw Marians CC bounced back from two back-to-back defeats to get an imposing 320/8, courtesy of a 239-run second wicket stand between Lasith Croospulle (119 off 111 balls, nine fours, four sixes) and Kamindu Mendis (110 off 141 balls, nine fours) – both career best knocks to beat Panadura SC by 164 runs.

Kandy Customs CC held their nerve to clinch a thrilling one-wicket win against BRC with three balls to spare. When their ninth wicket fell at 176 in the 46th over, Kandy Customs required 17 runs for victory. However, their last pair Sampath Perera (22) and Lahiru Vilochana (6) defied the BRC bowlers for 25 balls to achieve victory.

Former Peterite right-hander Janith Liyanage scored his first hundred in this level of cricket – 102 off 101 balls (six fours, three sixes) to help Ragama CC beat Galle CC by 132 runs and retain the Group B leadership with five wins out of five. Galle CC’s batting was dismantled for 134 by Ragama CC’s new ball bowlers Ishan Jayaratne and Binura Fernando, who took seven wickets between them.

Other clubs to win were Moors SC, Navy SC, Negombo CC, Nugegoda S&WC, and Police SC.

Results

At CCC

Air Force SC 154 (43.5) (Kalana Wijesiri 43, Sameera de Zoysa 40, Ravindu Sembukuttige 25, Lahiru Madushanka 2/23, Wanindu Hasaranga 5/38) lost to CCC 157/2 (19.5) (Ron Chandraguptha 46, Minod Bhanuka 22, Kusal Mendis 81*) by eight wickets. 

At Bloomfield

Bloomfield 289/9 (50) (Nipun Haggalla 151, Kasun Ekanayake 26, Harsha Vithana 60, Buddika Sanjeewa 4/44, Ruchira Koshitha 2/64, Alankara Silva 2/61) lost to Badureliya CC 292/4 (47.3) (Tillakaratne Sampath 66, Milinda Siriwardana 59, Dilshan de Soysa 55*, Gamindu Kanishka 77*, Mishen Silva 2/51) by six wickets.

At BRC

BRC 192 (49.1) (Leo Fransisco 27, Nisal Francisco 42, Shasheen Fernando 55, Sehan Weerasinghe 2/23, Umega Chaturanga 3/25) lost to Kandy Customs CC 193/9 (49.3) (Akeel Inham 31, Vishva Wijeratne 34, Sampath Perera 22*, Lahiru Samarakoon 2/28, Lasith Lakshan 3/40, Dushan Hemantha 2/51) by one wicket.   

At FTZ – Katunayake

Chilaw Marians CC 320/8 (50) (Lasith Croospulle 119, Kamindu Mendis 110, Rumesh Buddika 27, Dasun Seneviratna 24, Nimesh Vimukthi 4/63, Kosala Ravindu 2/71) beat Panadura SC 156 (43.3) (Hashan Chamara 30, Sanoj Dharshika 51*, Koshan Danushka 30, Thikshila de Silva 2/32, Pulina Tharanga 3/22, Kamindu Mendis 2/5) by 164 runs. 

At Thurstan

Ragama CC 266/5 (49) (Nishan Madushka 81, Janith Liyanage 102*, Chalana de Silva 2/42, Raviska Wijesiri 2/46) beat Galle CC 134 (32.4) (Vinura Dulsara 57*, Raju Gayashan 23, Ishan Jayaratne 4/53, Binura Fernando 3/15) by 132 runs. 

At Welisara

Lankan CC 142 (46) (Geeth Kumara 72, Keshan Wijeratne 23, Buddika Madushan 2/32, Chanaka Ruwansiri 3/26, Dilanka Auwardt 3/33) lost to Navy SC 143/5 (20.3) (Thushara Samarakoon 42, Chanaka Ruwansiri*, Tharushan Iddamalgoda 22*, Keshan Wijeratne 2/33) by five wickets. 

At NCC

NCC 299/5 (50) (Kamil Mishara 20, Kaveen Bandara 33, Angelo Perera 106, Chaturanga de Silva 118*, Nuwan Pradeep 2/50) beat Tamil Union 262/8 (50) (Supun Kavinda 20, Sadeera Samarawickrama 41, Damith Perera 26, Ravindu Fernando 71, Sachindu Colombage 61*, Shiran Fernando*, Chamika Karunaratne 4/28, Yugeesha Dishan 2/25) by 37 runs.

At Welegedera – Kurunegala

Kalutara TC 199/9 (50) (Geshan Wimaladharma 42, Kasun Sandaruwan 24, Lahiru Attanayake 20, Mithun Jayawickrama 26, Rajinda Punchihewa 26*, Dilshan Munaweera 2/45, Upul Indrasiri 2/27, Nishan Peiris 2/32, Madawa Warnapura 2/33) lost to Negombo CC 200-2 (37) (Lahiru Milantha 66, Ashen Silva 78*, Angelo Jayasinghe 43*) by eight wickets.

At Dombagoda

Nugegoda S&WC 143 (34.1) (Malinga Maligaspe 21, Pramud Hettiwatte 24, Umesh Karunaratne 47, Chanaka Komasaru 3/12, Rashmika Mevan 3/46) beat Ace Capital CC 104 (29.2) (Irosh Samarasooriya 37, Sithum Dissanayaka 2/36, Navin Kavikara 3/23, Umesh Karunaratne 4/28) by 39 runs. 

At SSC

Colts 278/7 (50) (Dhananjaya Lakshan 77, Sangeeth Cooray 35, Priyamal Perera 101*, Himesh Ramanayake 2/62, Kalana Perera 4/50) lost to SSC 279/2 (38.4) (Danushka Gunathilaka 32, Avishka Fernando 132, Charith Asalanka 101*) by eight wickets. 

At P. Sara Oval

Kurunegala YCC 139 (33.5) (Ravindra Karunaratne 91, Dilesh Gunaratne 4/33, Praveen Jayawickrama 3/46) lost to Moors SC 140/5 (32.2) (Mahela Udawatte 65, Sachitra Serasinghe 39, Naveen Gunawardene 2/32, Randeera Ranasinghe 2/6) by five wickets. 

At Police Park 

Sebastianites 255 (50) (Sameen Kandenearachchi 65, Manelker de Silva 72, Suchira Paranathala 28, Kanagarithinam Kabilraj 3/59, Asel Sigera 5/34) lost to Police SC 258/6 (48) (Malith de Silva 63, Asel Sigera 22, Dulash Udayanga 45*, Supun Madushanka 65, Matheesha Perera 2/29, Chatura Randunu 3/56) by four wickets. 

CCC captain Kusal Mendis gave a dazzling batting display scoring 81* off 52 balls

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