CCC, Police SC continue winning streak

Youngsters Chamindu Wijesinghe and Inuka Karannagoda carried CCC to victory

• SLC Major Club 50-over cricket tournament

Police SC captain Ashen Bandara struck the first century of the tournament

Chamika Karunaratne played a captain’s knock in guiding NCC to win

CCC and Police SC continued their winning streak in the ongoing SLC Major Club 50-over cricket tournament with victory against BRC and Panadura SC respectively in the matches concluded yesterday.

The victories ensured they stayed on top of their groups.

Last year’s runner-up CCC beat BRC by 2 wickets at the BRC grounds but not before going through some anxious moments losing half the side for 69 chasing 134. A fighting sixth wicket stand of 53 by youngsters Inuka Karannagoda and Chamindu Wijesinghe who each made 30 apiece and the experience of Isuru Udana (14* off 7) saw CCC home safely. Former Jaffna St. John’s College off-spinner Murvin Abinash (4/37) caused a flutter in the CCC batting ranks capturing the first four wickets in addition to becoming BRC’s top scorer with 44.

Police SC notched up the highest total of the tournament so far when they ran up an impressive 309-7 in their 140-run win against Panadura SC at Police grounds. Police SC skipper Ashen Bandara had the honour of scoring the tournament’s first century (107* off 98 balls, 11 fours, 1 six). Bandara was involved in two half-century partnerships with Vishad Randika (37) and Priyamal Perera (20). Panadura SC could reply with only 169 with left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera taking 3/30 for Police SC.

Defending champions Ace Capital CC suffered their second straight defeat when they went down by 30 runs to Badureliya SC at Surrey Village, Maggona. Batting first Badureliya SC scored 267 courtesy fifties from Dilshan de Soysa (51 off 77 balls, 4 fours) and Roscoe Thattil (70 off 72 balls, 6 fours, 1 six). Off-spinner Traveen Mathew was the pick of the Ace Capital CC bowlers with 5/42. Ace Capital CC slumped to 98-6 before the lower order put up some resistance to drag them to 237 mainly through a seventh wicket stand of 108 between Himasha Liyanage (68 off 72 balls, 2 sixes) and Raveen de Silva (45 off 61 balls, 2 fours). Off-spinner Asanka Silva kept the Ace Capital CC run rate in check with 4/48.

A captain’s knock of 86* off 72 balls (5 fours, 6 sixes) by Chamika Karunaratne saw NCC record their first win beating Tamil Union by 5 wickets at the P Sara Oval. Tamil Union managed only 198 with Sachitha Jayatilake’s 53 being the top score. Despite Niroshan Dickwella’s 49 off 30 balls (5 fours, 3 sixes) from the top order NCC slipped to 78-5 with Sri Lanka Test spinner Tharindu Rathnayake and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth sharing the spoils. Karunaratne leading the side decided to take charge to carry his team to victory with an unbroken stand of 121 with Vinuka Rubasinghe (36*).

Bloomfield and Colts also recorded their first wins. Bloomfield’s total of 271-9 proved too big for Kurunegala YCC who folded up for 152 to lose by 119 runs at Colts grounds. A century opening stand (117) by Tharindu Harshana (52 off 78 balls, 7 fours) and Ron Chandraguptha (59 off 85 balls, 8 fours) laid the foundation for Bloomfield’s total with hard-hitting all-rounder Lahiru Madushanka providing the final flourish to the innings 46 off 22 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes). Former Trinity College left-arm spinner Dinuka Tennekoon’s debut figures of 4/53 was Kurunegala YCC’s only bright spark.

Colts came up with a fine batting display to chase down Moors SC’s total of 249-9 and win by 7 wickets at Moors grounds. Fifties from Sithara Gimhan (73 off 88 balls, 7 fours) and captain Ramesh Mendis (53 off 62 balls, 3 fours, 1 six) gave Moors SC a total good enough to defend. Former Trinity College seamer Manula Kularatne returned his best figures 4/23. However Colts’ openers Ravindu Rasantha (71 off 97 balls, 8 fours) and Sangeeth Cooray (88 off 90 balls, 9 fours, 3 sixes) had other ideas as they rattled off 167 to make it a virtual no contest. Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews struck 52* off 53 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes) to see Colts home with 14 balls to spare. – [ST]