NCC, CCC, Moors SC continue unbeaten run

Panadura SC’s Nimantha Peiris is congratulated by team mates after scalping a Chilaw Marians CC batsman

NCC, Moors SC and CCC continued their unbeaten run in the ongoing SLC Major Club T20 tournament while BRC and Chilaw Marians CC suffered their first loss in the matches completed yesterday. Defending champions Army SC after two consecutive losses recorded their first win.  

SSC proved to be the venue for both BRC and Chilaw Marians CC to suffer their first loss in the tournament. CCC handed BRC their first defeat when they won by five wickets. BRC were shot out for a meagre 74 off 15.2 overs with captain Bhanuka Rajapaksa contributing 34 of those runs off 25 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes). After national quicks Vishwa Fernando (2/15) and Nuwan Thushara (2/15) had affected the damage to the top order, off-spinner Sandun Mendis ripped through the middle and lower order taking 3/21. CCC lost five wickets in chasing down their target in 8.5 overs with off-spinner Umeshka Morais grabbing 3/6.

In the match that followed, Chilaw Marians CC batting fared miserably, failing to chase down Panadura SC’s moderate total of 122-7 to lose by 10 runs. Chilaw Marians were dismissed for 112, their batting succumbing to the off-breaks of skipper Koshan Jayawickrama (2/22) and Nimantha Peiris (3/28) and the seam of Asela Sampath (2/26). NCC continued their fine form registering their third successive win beating Air Force SC by seven wickets at the P Sara Oval. Invited to bat first the Airmen were pegged down to a total of 111-8 by the left-arm spin of Asel Sigera (3/11). The main scorers were Adithya Siriwardene (32*) and Praveen de Silva (31). A timely unbeaten 51 off 34 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes) from Kavin Bandara and his unbroken partnership of 76 with Thaveesha Abishek (26*) saw NCC home after losing the first three wickets for 39.

Galle CC bounced back following back to back defeats to record their first win beating Kandy Customs SC by 22 runs at the same venue. Galle CC scored 139-7 and dismissed Kandy Customs SC for 117 with right-arm medium-pacer Tharush Damindu doing the main damage with figures of 4/25. 

Defending champions Army SC also came back from two consecutive defeats to win their match against Police SC by five wickets at Surrey CC grounds Maggona. Former Sri Lanka white ball cricketer Asela Gunaratne was the soldiers’ match winner with an authoritative knock of 81* off 59 balls (10 fours, 1 six) as Army SC chased down a target of 143 to win with four balls to spare. Police SC’s batting was consumed for 142 by spinners Lilan Fernadinandu, Manushka Shamith and Gayan Chandrabosse who between them took seven wickets.  

Moors SC continued their dominant form with a thumping eight-wicket win over Negombo CC at the same venue. Seamer Lahiru Samarakoon along with spinners Ramesh Mendis, the captain and Malsha Tharupathi combined well to bowl out Negombo CC for 88, and then knocked the runs off in 12.4 overs with Sohan de Livera contributing 48* off 40 balls (6 fours, 1 six). – (ST)

Today’s matches

• At SSC: Colts v Nugegoda SWC, 10 a.m., Ace Capital v Badureliya CC, 2 p.m.
• At NCC: Bloomfield v Sebastianites, 10 a.m., Kurunegala YCC v Tamil Union, 2 p.m.