Colombo Colts edge out Ace Capital CC to win title in tight finish

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

In one of the closest finishes in recent times Colombo Colts CC edged out Ace Capital CC by the barest margin of 0.970 points to clinch the Major Club 3-day League title for the seventh time in their long history of 153 years and for the first time in 14 years.

They last lifted the title when it was played for the Premier Trophy in 2011-12 under the captaincy of Malinda Warnapura. Colts first laid hands on the plum of club cricket in 1991-92 when it was played for the P. Saravanamuttu Trophy. They were led by wicket-keeper/batsman Hemantha Devapriya. The current season Colts are captained by all-rounder Dhananjaya Lakshan.

Colts began the final weekend with a six-point lead over their nearest rival Moors SC and were firm favourites for the title. But over the first two days the situation changed hands with Moors SC dropping out of the race and Ace Capital CC coming forward as the new challenger to Colts. A lot of credit should be given to the Ace Capital CC team ably led by off-spinner Roshan Jayatissa for being competitive throughout the Super Eights. Compared to Colts who had two former national captains in their side, they didn’t have a single national player.  

The key figure in Colts’ victory yesterday at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium was the indomitable century scored by 27-year-old right-hander Sanoj Darshika who ensured that his team got past NCC’s massive first innings total of 431. Colts declared at 441-8 as soon as Darshika had completed a well-deserved 100 that came off 186 balls with 7 fours. Colts began the day at 280-6 and required another 152 runs to gain the vital first innings lead. Darsika had only the tail to support him but Sukitha Manoj (29 off 68 balls), Kavishka Anjula (28 off 46) and Akila Dananjaya (18* off 52) in partnerships helped him raise the Colts total by 161 runs. NCC in their second innings made 161 without loss with the inform opener Lahiru Udara stroking his way to a third century in as many matches – 100* off 90 balls (10 fours) and making him the highest run-getter in the tournament with 908 runs (avg. 60.53). His partner Vinuka Rubasinghe scored 61* off 72 balls (6 fours, 1 six).

Ace Capital CC did all that was asked of them to beat Police SC outright to be in the running for the title, but in the end it turned out to be a case of so near yet so far and they had to settle for the runner-up spot. Ace Capital CC did manage to bowl out Police SC for 150 in their second innings despite a stubborn knock of 69 off 121 balls (8 fours) from captain Ashen Bandara. Their left-arm spinner Wanuja Sahan picked up a five-fer (5/52) and pacie Isitha Wijesundara 4/53. Requiring 127 for a win Ace Capital CC knocked the runs off to win by seven wickets in the match concluded at the NCC grounds. Pawantha Weerasinghe led the run chase with 60 off 63 balls 

(8 fours). Left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera took all three wickets to fall to finish the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 61 wickets.

On a flat R. Premadasa Stadium surface CCC and Moors SC played out a high scoring match which ended in a no-result with a total of 1050 runs being scored for the loss of 17 wickets. Replying to CCC’s tall first innings score of 561, Moors SC ended up making 489-7 with skipper Ramesh Mendis anchoring his team by scoring an undefeated 160 off 223 balls (11 fours). Two century partnerships featured the innings – 145 for the third wicket between Shehan Fernando (77 off 128 balls, 7 fours) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (81 off 115 balls, 11 fours, 1 six), and 139 for the seventh between Mendis and Santhush Gunathilake (55 off 102 balls, 4 fours). With the game meandering towards a tame draw CCC used as many as 10 bowlers.

Right-arm seamer Mohamed Shiraz took 5/63 and off-spinner Movin Subasingha 4/95 to give BRC a first innings win against Bloomfield at the Galle Cricket Stadium, but it was not sufficient to prevent BRC from finishing at the bottom of the Super Eights standings. In reply to BRC’s first innings of 475, Bloomfield were dismissed for 240. Nipun Karunanayake, the skipper top scored with 71 (144 balls, 9 fours). Forced to follow the defending champions fared much better finishing on 254-4 courtesy a third wicket partnership of 115 between Ron Chandraguptha (80 of 71 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes) and Ravindu Fernando (103* off 87 balls, 12 fours, 5 sixes).