SLC Major Limited-Over Semi-Finals Gallant Badureliya CC stretches NCC; Ragama CC crushes Army

NCC opener Upul Tharanga hits one of his three sixes on his way to a match-winning 136 against Badureliya CC

Badureliya CC opener Tillakaratne Sampath walks back after being dismissed for 98

NCC fast bowler Lahiru Kumara halted Badureliya CC’s progress with four wickets

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Ragama CC skipper Ishan Jayaratne the destroyer of the Army SC batting with career best figures of 5 for 31 is congratulated by team mates after he has scalped another victim

Tall fast bowler Binura Fernando provided an ideal foil to Ishan Jayaratne in dismantling the Army SC batting

Unbeaten NCC and Ragama CC played true to form to keep a date with destiny and meet in the final of the SLC Major Limited-Over inter-club when they won their respective semi-final matches against Badureliya CC and Army SC yesterday.

While Ragama CC routed Army SC by eight wickets, NCC had a fight on their hands against a gallant Badureliya CC side that went down fighting by 18 runs.

NCC and Ragama CC will play for prize money worth Rs. 750,000 to the winner and Rs. 500,000 to the runner-up in the final tomorrow at the SSC grounds. Individual awards for the final are Player of the Final, Best Batsman and Best Bowler – Rs. 100,000 each and Player of the Tournament – Rs. 150,000.

The return of former Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga to the fold after his successful exploits with the Sri Lanka Legends side in India gave added strength to the NCC batting line-up. Playing his second match of the tournament Tharanga’s innings of 136 off 139 balls (12 fours, 3 sixes) was the cornerstone on which NCC built their total of 292-7. 

He was involved in three productive partnerships of 99 with Kamil Mishara (46), 68 with Captain Angelo Perera (28) and 63 with Chaturanga de Silva (30) that eventually saw NCC reach their total.

Badureliya CC lost their inform opener Sandun Weerakkody for a second ball duck, but his opening partner Tillakaratne Sampath kept the team on course with a stroke-filled innings of 98 off 97 balls (11 fours, 3 sixes) and after his dismissal Gamindu Kanishka took on the challenge racing to a half-century off 44 balls (3 sixes, 2 fours). 

Badureliya CC’s task was made harder by Sri Lanka fast bowler Lahiru Kumara who conceded only four runs in the 48th over when 33 were needed from 18, and 19 off the last when Kumara ended Badureliya CC’s hopes by taking the wicket of Kanishka off the third ball to finish with figures of 4 for 42.  

Ragama CC’s new ball bowlers skipper Ishan Jayaratne and Sri Lanka’s T20I cricketer Binura Fernando took eight wickets between them to rout Army SC for 178. Jayaratne produced his best bowling figures at this level of cricket – 5 for 31 and Fernando’s 3 for 30 with his left-arm swing and bounce from a height of 6’7 provided an ideal foil. 

In-form Himasha Liyanage and captain Thisara Perera were the only batsmen to make any notable contributions scoring 45 apiece. Ragama CC’s task was made easier when openers Saminda Fernando and Nishan Madushka (34) began the run chase by posting a century partnership (102). 

Fernando, the former Moratu Vidyalaya opener, was most unfortunate to miss out on his maiden one-day century when he was run out for 99 scored off 145 balls (6 fours, 1 six) with Ragama five runs away from victory. For Army SC the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow as they had once again come as far as the semi-finals and lost.

Results

At CCC: NCC beat Badureliya CC by 18 runs

NCC 292-7 (50) (Upul Tharanga 136, Kamil Mishara 46, Angelo Perera 28, Chaturanga de Silva 30, Chamikara Edirisinghe 2/56, Alankara Silva 3/60)

Badureliya CC 274 (49.3) (Tillakaratne Sampath 98, Dunith Jayatunga 21, Dilshan de Soysa 37, Gamindu Kanishka 50, Lahiru Kumara 4/42, Chaturanga de Silva 2/44, Chamika Karunaratne 2/65)

At NCC: Ragama CC beat Army SC by 8 wickets

Army SC 178 (46.3) (Himasha Liyanage 45, Thisara Perera 45, Dushan Vimukthi 23, Mahesh Kumara 26, Ishan Jayaratne 5/31, Binura Fernando 3/30)

Ragama CC 179-2 (39.2) (Saminda Fernando 99, Nishan Madushka 34, Dineth Thimodaya 33 n.o.)

Ragama CC opener Saminda Fernando cracks one to the boundary during his innings of 99