Quarter-finalists found as group stage draws to a close

Army SC fielders celebrate the wicket of CCC captain Kusal Mendis for 43

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

As the curtain came down on the group stages of the SLC Major Limited-Over Inter-Club Tournament yesterday, missing from the quarter-finals line-up were defending champions Chilaw Marians CC and Major League champions CCC.

Nipun Haggalla, who top scored for Bloomfield with 81, acknowledges his half-century.

Army SC leg-spinner Suminda Lakshan played a key role in their victory over CCC with three key wickets

It was a crunch game for CCC who had to beat Army SC to qualify for a place in the last eight and they failed miserably, while in the other matches completed yesterday, Badureliya CC and Moors SC won their respective matches to get into the knockout stage.

Chilaw Marians CC was edged out by one point by Navy SC due to a secured bonus point in Group B.

Thus, the Quarter-final line up for 7 April reads: Badureliya CC v Moors SC; Ragama CC v Tamil Union; NCC v Navy SC; and SSC v Army SC.

Army SC, led by Sri Lanka one-day all-rounder Thisara Perera, came up trumps, beating a star-studded CCC side with seven national caps in their line-up by 108 runs to qualify for a place in the quarter-finals. Army were indebted to Perera and Himasha Liyanage, both of whom figured in a partnership of 117 runs that saw them get a challenging total of 286/8. The big-hitting Perera bludgeoned four sixes and four fours in his 58-ball knock of 67, while Liyanage played the anchor role at the other end, scoring 92 off 119 balls (one six, six fours). CCC’s response was a poor 178, with their batting collapsing to the leg-breaks of national cap Seekkuge Prassanna and Suminda Lakshan, who shared six wickets between them. Lakshan in fact took the key wickets of national caps Kusal Mendis, Ashan Priyanjan and Wanindu Hasaranga.

Badureliya CC put up a powerful performance, thrashing BRC by nine wickets to top Group A and thereby qualify for a place in the last eight. An excellent all-round bowling effort saw BRC getting bowled out for a moderate 169. Then Badureliya CC’s openers Sandun Weerakkody and Tillakaratne Sampath made short work of the target by erasing off 154 in a first wicket stand to see them home. Weerakkody missed out on a well-deserved century, falling for 96 made off 77 deliveries (13 fours, three sixes), while Sampath, the younger brother of the infamous Tillakaratne Dilshan, remained unbeaten on 63* off 62 balls (10 fours).

Moors SC defended a modest total of 236/9 by dismissing Sebastianites for 209 to win by 27 runs and earn a place in the quarter-finals. Moors SC’s victory was achieved through their spin trio of Praveen Jayawickrama, Danushka Madushanka and Jeevan Mendis, who captured six wickets between them with the help of left-arm fast bowler Dilesh Gunaratne.

Other teams to win yesterday were Bloomfield, Saracens SC and Kurunegala Youth CC – all three of whom were out of contention for a place in the 

quarter-finals.      

Results

At CCC

Army SC 286/8 (50) (Priyantha Ratnayake 20, Samitha Dilshan 21, Himasha Liyanage 92, Asela Gunaratne 32, Thisara Perera 67, Dushan Vimukthi 21, Lahiru Gamage 2/35) beat CCC 178 (39.5) (Kusal Mendis 43, Ashan Priyanjan 57, Dushan Vimukthi 2/40, Matheesha Theekshana 2/37, Suminda Lakshan 3/50, Seekkuge Prasanna 3/33) by 108 runs. 

At Bloomfield

Bloomfield 331/5 (50) (Nipun Haggalla 81, Kasun Ekanayake 59, Sachin Jayawardena 57, Harsha Vithana 62*, Mishen Silva 48, Imesh Madushanka 2/42, Methushan Thilina 2/49) beat Kandy Customs CC 171 (34.3) (Hasitha Nirmal 21, Sehan Weerasinghe 28, Sampath Perera 66, Gayan Sirisoma 3/40, Dileepa Jayalath 3/5) by 160 runs. 

At Surrey Village – Maggona

BRC 169 (46) (Leo Fransisco 50, Nisal Francisco 21, Shaheen Fernando 32, Savin Gunasekara 26, Buddika Sanjeewa 2/13, Gamindu Kanishka 2/36, Chamikara Edirisinghe 2/22, Alankara Silva 2/43) lost to Badureliya CC 172/1 (24.2) (Sandun Weerakkody 96, Tillakaratne Sampath 63*) by nine wickets. 

At Colts

Saracens SC 205/7 (50) (Charitha Kumarasinghe 29, Hashan Dumindu 44, Promod Maduwantha 82, Akash Senaratne 22, Kavishka Anjula 2/39, Harsha Rajapaksa 2/33) beat Colts 188 (45.3) (Kusal Perera 32, Vishad Randika 32, Jehan Daniel 59, Harsha Rajapaksa 27, Udith Madushan 2/30, Chaminda Bandara 2/36) by 17 runs.

At NCC

Moors SC 236/9 (50) (Pabasara Waduge 31, Sachitra Serasinghe 36, Kavindu Kulasekara 75, Mohammed Shamaaz 44, Hasantha Fernando 2/31, Matheesha Perera 3/41, Raveen Sayer 2/44) beat Sebastianites 209 (46.3) (Sameen Kandenearachchi 59, Chamal Perera 48, Vihan Gunasekare 27, Matheesha Perera 28, Dilesh Gunaratne 3/16, Praveen Jayawickrama 2/49, Danushka Madushanka 2/38, Jeevan Mendis 2/32) by 27 runs.

At Welegedara – Kurunegala. 

Kurunegala Youth CC 327/6 (50) (Gayan Maneeshan 29, Danushka Dharmasiri 45, Keshan Wanniarachchi 80, Dulaj Ranatunga 34, Sameera Sandamal 83, Lahiru Jayaratne 32*, Sujan Mayura 2/55) beat Police SC 226 (43.2) (Lakshan Rodrigo 26, Maduranga Zoysa 46, Supun Madushanka 40, Sujan Mayura 34, Poorna Silva 20*, Nimasara Atharagalla 2/41, Sameera Sandamal 2/60, Randeera Ranasinghe 2/22, Gihan Anjana 3/40) by 101 runs.