Police herald in new season with thrilling one-run win

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

CCC’s 18-year-old fast bowler Amshi de Silva ran through the Bloomfield batting taking five wickets

Bishan Mendis’ knock of 79 helped Army SC to make the highest total on the opening day – 304 against Nugegoda S&WC

The 2020-21 domestic cricket season got off to a thrilling start when Police SC pulled off a nerve-tingling one-run win over Navy SC at Welisara on the opening day of the Major Club Youth (Under23) Tournament yesterday.   

Police SC, invited to bat first, scored 225 off 49.1 overs, and Navy SC, despite a valiant half century from Bhagya Dissanayake, fell agonizingly short by two runs to pull off a stunning win when they finished on 224-9 in 50 overs.

Colts began the defence of their Under 23 title with a comfortable win over Moors SC, while last year’s runner-up Chilaw Marians CC also won easily against Panadura SC.

There were also wins for CCC, Badureliya CC, SSC, Tamil Union, Negombo CC, Kalutara TC and Army SC.

CCC’s 18-year-old right-arm fast bowler from Richmond College Galle, Amshi de Silva, destroyed the Bloomfield batting with a devastating spell of bowling, to which the batsmen had no answers and succumbed to 97 all out. Then CCC captain and opening bat/wicket-keeper Malindu Maduranga made short work of the target by crashing 6 fours and 3 sixes as he raced to a half century (55) off 30 balls to see his team home by eight wickets in just 13.1 overs.

Sri Lanka cricketer Kamindu Mendis starred in Chilaw Marians CC’s six-wicket win over Panadura SC producing a fine all-round performance by capturing two wickets for 30 runs and scoring a well-paced 66 off 74 balls (7 fours, 1 six) as they chased down a moderate target of 123 in 24.3 overs.

Badureliya CC recovered from losing half their side for 63 to reach BRC’s total of 162 and win by four wickets. Former Holy Cross Kalutara left-hander Malinda Jayod was their match-winner with a sterling knock of 86 off 66 balls that comprised eight sixes and six fours.

Sri Lanka’s Under 19 World Cup captain Nipun Dhananjaya and SSC skipper Sammu Ashan scripted their club’s seven-wicket win over Kurunegala YCC with a third wicket stand of 128. Both batsmen made seventies – Dhananjaya a sedate 77 off 111 balls and Ashan an unbeaten 72 off 83 balls.

Navod Paranavithana who was a member of the under 19 World Cup squad hit an attractive half-century (55 off 51 balls, 7 fours) to steer Tamil Union to a four-wicket win against Galle CC after a middle-order wobble saw them slip from 97-2 to 115-5 before recovering to reach the target of 161.   

Former Peterite and present Colts top order bat Santhush Gunathilaka carried his form from the Premier League to the Under 23 tournament by scoring an 89-ball half-century to guide his team to a four-wicket win over Moors SC.

In a high scoring game at Panagoda, Army SC coasted to an easy 60-run win against Nugegoda S&WC. Two former Mahanama College cricketers figured prominently in Army’s victory. Former Mahanama vice-captain Bishan Mendis hit a delightful 79 off 85 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes) sharing a second wicket stand of 156 with Harith Fernando (88 off 98 balls, 9 fours, 1 six) and left-arm spinner Hashan Sandeepa kept the Nugegoda run rate in check by capturing four wickets for 36 runs. In reply to Army’s total of 304, Nugegoda were dismissed for 244 in the 46th over.

The Kalutara TC-Saracens SC match was decided on the Duckworth/Lewis rain rule after bad weather interrupted the game twice during the Kalutara innings which was terminated in the 36th over due to rain at 156-7 and again when Saracens chasing a revised target of 171 off 36 were 58-5 after 22 overs. The match was however played to a finish with Saracens being dismissed for 91 in 27 overs to hand Kalutara a win by 79 runs.

Results

• At Panagoda: Army SC beat Nugegoda S&WC by 60 runs

Army SC 304 (49.2) (Harith Fernando 88, Bishan Mendis 79, Shehan Fernando 21, Pathum Kumara 24, Mahesh Theekshana 33, Nipun Lakshan 4/65, Sandaru Chanditha 3/37)

Nugegoda S&WC 244 (45.4) (Thashika Nirmal 34, Muditha Lakshan 69, Sakuna Liyanage 72, Heshan Hettiarachchi 2/40, Hashan Sandeepa 4/36, Mahesh Theekshana 2/55)

• At Welisara: Police SC beat Navy SC by one run

Police SC 225 (49.1) (Asela Sigera 41, Bawantha Udangamuwa 36, Nadeera Balasooriya 38 n.o., Ruvinda Dilshan 31)

Navy SC 224-9 (50) (Bhagya Dissanayake 60, Vimud Sapnaka 36, Shalith Fernando 44, Daminda Reshan 31, Tashik Perera 2/41, Nadeera Balasooriya 2/44)

• At BRC: Badureliya CC beat BRC by four wickets

BRC 162 (46.3) (Hirantha Jayasinghe 42, Nisal Francisco 41, Tharindu Wickremarachchi 4/11, Avishka Lakshan 3/29, Malinda Jayod 2/25)

Badureliya CC 166-6 (37.1) (Malinda Jayod 86, Ranesh Silva 23 n.o., Malinda Abishek 3/40)

• Katunayake (MCG): Chilaw Marians CC beat Panadura SC by six wickets

Panadura SC 122 (31.5) (Nipuna Deshan 21, Dasun Seneviratne 3/29, Tharuka Tharindu 3/25, Kamindu Mendis 2/30)

Chilaw Marians CC 125-4 (24.3) (Risira Weerasuriya 22, Kamindu Mendis 66, Pasindu Pathum 3/14)

• At Katunayake: Negombo CC beat Air Force SC by 68 runs

Negombo CC 202 (48.2) (Bhanuka Manohara 25, Dimuth Sandaruwan 35, Shehan Fernando 32, Kavindu Nirmana 30, Kadun Ekanayake 2/23, Nusky Ahmed 2/42, Ravindu Sendakuttige 3/41)

Air Force SC 134 (40.2) (Chaamikara Hewage 25, Ravindu Sendakuttige 23, Nishan Peiris 3/17, Chamath Wickramasinghe 3/40, Hareen Weerasinghe 3/29)  

• At Colts: Colts beat Moors SC by four wickets

Moors SC 151 (36.1) (Pasindu Sooriyabandara 39, Kavishka Anjula 25, Dilshan Madanayake 2/26, Nipun Malinga 3/26, Rohan Sanjaya 2/20

Colts 154-6 (36.2) (Avishka Fernando 22, Santhush Gunathilaka 58, Jehan Daniel 31, Kavishka Anjula 2/41)

• At Maggona: Kalutara TC beat Saracens SC by 79 runs (D/L rule)

Kalutara TC 156-7 (36) (Inshaka Siriwardene 48 n.o., Lasindu Aroshana 20, Bihanga Mendis 2/32, Kavindu Dilhara 3/37)

Saracens SC 91 (27) (Navindu Nirmal 21, Inshaka Siriwardene 2/26, Likshan Sasanga 2/26)

• At SSC: SSC beat Kurunegala YCC by seven wickets

Kurunegala YCC 170-8 (50) (Keshan Wanniarachchi 24, Asitha Waninayake 25, Sandeera Ranasinghe 20, Kavin Bandara 34 n.o., Chamindu Wickremasinghe 2/11, Kamindu Nadeeshan 2/34)

SSC 173-3 (37.2) (Nipun Dhananjaya 77, Sammu Ashan 72 n.o.)

• At P Sara Oval: Tamil Union beat Galle CC by four wickets

Galle CC 160 (47.4) (Vinura Dulsara 50, Ravishka Wijesiri 33, Kavindu Pathiratne 2/31, Sachindu Colombage 2/31, Deshan Fernando 2/16, Miranga Wickremage 2/28)

Tamil Union 165-6 (27.1) (Navod Paranavithana 55, Kamesh Nirmal 37, Ravindu Fernando 33 n.o., Thanula Chamod 2/21)

• At Bloomfield: CCC beat Bloomfield by eight wickets

Bloomfield 97 (41.1) (Vinuja Ranpul 35, Amshi de Silva 5/12, Pavan Ratnayake 2/10, Wanindu Hasaranga 2/17)

CCC 98-2 (13.1) (Malindu Maduranga 55)