Defending champions Bloomfield start season with a loss

Nugegoda SWC, led by Tillakaratne Sampath, return to the pavilion after dismissing Chilaw Marians CC

SLC Major Club 3-Day League

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Defending champions Bloomfield were at the receiving end of CCC when they lost their Major Club 3-Day League game in the first innings at the Galle Cricket Stadium yesterday.

In reply to CCC’s tall first innings score of 404-9 declared, Bloomfield could only respond with 202, and that too largely due to their number eight batter Lahiru Madushanka, who lifted them from 56-7 to their final total with a sturdy knock of 92 off 135 balls (8 fours, 4 sixes). Left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando was the pick of the CCC bowlers, taking 4/47. By stumps brought forward by bad light, CCC scored 57-2.

Last year’s runner-up to Bloomfield, NCC, on the other hand, got the better of Ace Capital CC to win on first innings at the SSC Grounds to get their campaign started. 

Ace Capital CC fell 45 runs short of NCC’s first innings of 333 when they were dismissed for 288, with Wanuja Sahan (120 off 133 balls, 11 fours, 1 six) being the last wicket to fall. Chamika Karunaratne took 4/69 with his medium-pacers. In NCC’s second innings of 206-9 declared, Kavin Bandara, the former DS Senanayake southpaw, made use of the opportunity to score a century (102 off 136 balls, 14 fours), while Sahan picked a further four wickets for match figures of 9/165. Left with a target of 252 to chase, Ace Capital CC responded strongly with 181-2, being given an inspiring start by openers Pawantha Weerasinghe (94 off 85 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes) and Pawan Pathiraja (66 off 74 balls, 7 fours), who put on 148.

Nugegoda SWC were the only team to record an outright win. 

Trailing Nugegoda SWC by 118 runs, Chilaw Marians CC could not make much headway in their second innings, being dismissed for 211 at the NCC grounds, leaving Nugegoda SWC to chase down a target of 94, which they did to win by nine wickets. Off-spinners Tillakaratne Sampath and Madhuka Liyanapathiranage shared six wickets for Nugegoda SWC, while Thanuka Dabare (51) and Sakuna Liyanage (44) stood out for Chilaw Marians CC. Lohan de Zoysa led the Nugegoda SWC run chase, hitting an unbeaten 51 (79 balls, 4 fours, 1 six).

In the top of the Group A table clash, Police SC had the better of the exchanges against Colts at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, Sooriyawewa, winning in the first innings. 

Police SC did well to dismiss the strong Colts batting for 274 and gain a first innings lead of 43, which they stretched to 222 when they were bowled out for 179 in their second innings. Right-arm seamer Kavishka Anjula, with five wickets in each innings, took a match bag of 10/115 for Colts, who finished on 15-0 in their second innings. Left-arm seamer Nipun Premaratne picked up 4/52 for Police SC.

Tamil Union put up a feisty batting performance but fell short of Moors SC’s total of 393 by 43 runs to lose on first innings at the Welagedara Stadium, Kurunegala. 

Resuming at 66-2, Tamil Union were first boosted by the third wicket stand of 110 between skipper Minod Bhanuka (66 off 99 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) and Sharujan Shanmuganathan (60 off 101 balls, 9 fours, 1 six), but tumbled to 157-6. The innings was then given a further boost by Sachitha Jayatilake (102 off 154 balls, 8 fours, 4 sixes) and Lahiru Samarakoon (73 off 119 balls, 4 fours, 4 sixes), who indulged in a 172-run partnership for the seventh wicket, raising hopes of surpassing Moors SC’s total. But seamer Shiran Fernando not only ended the partnership but went on to take 5/51 as Tamil Union were all out for 350. 

Kurunegala YCC left-arm spinner Chamika Edirisinghe returned figures of 6/91 but could not prevent BRC from taking a first innings lead at Surrey Village Grounds, Maggona. 

Overnight on 232-2, BRC looked set for a big total, but were put out for 322 by Edirisinghe and lost their last six wickets for 40 runs. BRC skipper Hashan Duminda scored 66 (10 fours). Lakshan Edirisinghe contributed 73* (6 fours, 2 sixes) in the Kurunegala YCC second innings of 196-7.