Bloomfield stun group leaders Police SC

Defending champions Bloomfield, languishing at the bottom half of Group A, pulled off a stunning 13-run win against table toppers Police SC to propel themselves to third place in the Major Club 3-Day League.

The match, which concluded at the P. Sara Oval yesterday, saw Police SC, chasing a moderate target of 135, crumble to 121 after being firmly placed for an outright win at 73-1. The tables were turned on the Police SC batting by spinners Ravindu Fernando (5/52) and Jeffrey Vandersay (5/33), who helped themselves each to a five-wicket haul.   

The match between Colts and Nugegoda SWC, affected by bad weather throughout the three days at the Welagedara Stadium, Kurunegala, ended in a no-decision. Nugegoda SWC resumed their first innings from 90-4 and were all out for 232, with Lohan de Zoysa (101 off 223 balls, 9 fours) and Akram Muthalib (56 off 106 balls, 3 fours) putting together a partnership of 116. Spinner Akila Dananjaya took 4/66. Colts in reply scored 118-4 before bad light ended the match.

Ace Capital CC had to be content with first innings points after being in a good position to take full points against Badureliya SC at the CCC Grounds. Wanuja Sahan, the former Sri Lanka Under-19 left-arm all-rounder, hit a career best 153 off 211 balls (12 fours, 4 sixes) and carried the overnight partnership with Raveen de Silva (47) to worth 148 which enabled Ace Capital CC to 472, a lead of 179. Badureliya SC were 147-5 in their second innings when bad light ended play. Spinners Malinda Pushpakumara (5/116) and Alankara Asanka (3/133) took the wickets in Ace Capital CC’s first innings.

NCC came up with a powerful second innings batting performance after being forced to follow-on by Tamil Union to draw their match at the Colts Grounds. Bowled out for 176 in their first innings in reply to Tamil Union’s score of 353, NCC, powered by centuries from two Sri Lankan discards Niroshan Dickwella (126 off 99 balls, 12 fours, 1 six) and Chamika Karunaratne (125* off 119 balls, 5 fours, 7 sixes) and 52 (off 77 balls, 1 four) from Kavin Bandara, rattled off 430-8 declared, scoring at the rate of over six runs an over. Tamil Union, left with a target of 254 to chase, were struggling at 127-7 when bad light came to their aid. Tamil Union took first innings points from the match to keep alive their chances of making it to the Super Eight.

Skipper Sonal Dinusha took 5/63 with his left-arm spin to bowl CCC to a first innings win against Panadura SC at the Galle Cricket Stadium. Panadura SC started the day promisingly at 217-5 in reply to CCC’s 309, but fell to the wiles of Dinusha to be all out for 271. CCC in their second innings scored 276-7, with Pavan Rathnayake joining a select band of cricketers who have scored a century in each innings of a match with 125* off 128 balls (10 fours, 2 sixes) to follow his first innings knock of 116. Nishan Madushka scored twin fifties in the match – 50 and 59 off 73 balls (8 fours). Panadura SC off-spinner Dushan Vimukthi took 4/89 in the second innings for a match bag of 11/176.   

Moors SC regained top spot in Group B with a first innings win against Kurunegala YCC at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, Sooriyawewa. Replying to Moors SC’s tall score of 441-8 declared, Kurunegala YCC were bundled out for 231, with fast bowler Milan Rathnayake (4/41) and left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama (4/49) sharing the spoils. Manoj Sarathchandra (54 off 115 balls, 4 fours) was the top scorer. Moors SC scored 83-5 in their second innings. – [ST]