Bhanuka sets SLC Major T20 alight with 56-ball century; Nugegoda SWC shock NCC

Sri Lanka white ball batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa fresh from his exploits with Punjab Kings in the ongoing IPL in India where he scored 206 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 160, set the SLC Major T20 inter-club tournament alight with a dazzling century that saw BRC trounce Panadura SC by 41 runs yesterday.    

BRC were three down for 22 when Rajapaksa strode in and took the Panadura SC bowling by the scruff of the neck to slam nine sixes and four fours as he raced to his hundred off 56 balls. His assault on the Panadura bowlers saw BRC recover to post a challenging total of 175-5 courtesy of a 101-run stand between Rajapaksa and Dushan Hemantha who played a cameo knock of 33* off 19 balls (2 sixes, 2 fours). 

When Panadura SC began their run chase Rajapaksa gave his team a head start by capturing a wicket off the first over. From there onwards BRC bowlers kept a tight leash on the run rate and Panadura SC eventually finished on 134-5. 

Nugegoda SWC shocked last year’s quarterfinalists NCC with a six-run win. NCC required 12 off the final over with two wickets intact but managed only five and lost the wickets of Asel Sigera and Yugeesha Dishan off successive balls to Ranitha Liyanarachchi to be dismissed for 118 in reply to Nugegoda SWC’s total of 124-9 of which opener Abishek Liyanaarachchi contributed 51 off 44 balls (3 sixes, 3 fours).

Tamil Union coasted to a seven-wicket win over Sebastianites with their openers Sadeera Samarawickrama (47) and Navod Paranavithana (36) making short work of the target of 121 by sharing a stand of 80. Spinners Jeffrey Vandersay and Dilruwan Perera with five wickets between them and pacer Shiran Fernando (3/24) accounted for the Sebastianites wickets.

The two matches scheduled to be played at Army grounds Dombagoda - Ragama CC v Chilaw Marians CC and Negombo CC v Kandy Customs CC were both abandoned without a ball bowled due to rain, while at Maggona only 10.4 overs play was possible in the match between Colts v Police before rain washed out play. – (ST)