SLC Major Club 3-day League Milan’s splendid all-round effort takes Moors SC to the top

Milan Rathnayake capped a fine all-round performance for Moors SC (64* and 10/55)

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka Test fast-bowling all-rounder Milan Rathnayake took his maiden ten-wicket match haul in first-class cricket to bowl Moors SC to an innings and one run win against Ace Capital CC in their Major Club 3-day League match concluded at the Colts grounds yesterday.

Rathnayake followed his 6/26 in the first innings with 4/29 in the second for match figures of 10/55 as Ace Capital CC were rolled over for 132 in their second innings. Former Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama chipped in with four wickets to help Ace Capital CC’s rout. Rathnayake capped a fine all-round performance having earlier contributed an unbeaten 64 off 86 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes) to Moors SC’s total of 385-9 declared. With this win Moors SC went to the top of Group B displacing BRC who lost on first innings to Badureliya SC at the Welagedara Stadium, Kurunegala – giving them their first win of the season.

Replying to Badureliya SC’s first innings of 290, BRC began the final day at 99-4 and despite two fighting knocks from Promod Maduwantha (125 off 313 balls, 6 fours) and Yasiru Rodrigo (53 off 194 balls, 4 fours) they fell short by 34 runs to be all out for 256. Spinners Chanaka Komasaru, Alankara Asanka and Malinda Pushpakumara took nine wickets between them. By stumps Badureliya SC scored 57-3.

Dushan Vimukthi (57 off 152 balls, 4 fours) and Sasindu Malshan (48 off 98 balls, 7 fours) shared a valuable sixth wicket partnership of 74 to help Panadura SC pull off a thrilling first innings win against Chilaw Marians CC at the NCC grounds. It was Panadura SC’s first win of the season in three matches. Resuming at 225-5 Panadura SC in reply to Chilaw Marians CC’s first innings of 322, scored 326-9 declared. In their second innings Chilaw Marians CC made 211-5 courtesy fifties from Sammu Ashan (77 off 97 balls, 9 fours, 1 six) and Kasun Vidura (52* off 97 balls, 4 fours).

NCC took first innings points off Kurunegala YCC in their match which ended in a tame draw at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, Sooriyawewa. Kurunegala YCC who were dismissed for 217 in their first innings batted throughout the final day from 40-1 to finish on 306-6 with Gayan Maneeshan (77 off 135 balls, 4 fours), Dilhara Polgampola (58 off 156 balls, 3 fours) and Manoj Sarathchandra (82* off 135 balls, 4 fours) completing fifties apiece. NCC score 301-9 declared. 

Nugegoda SWC denied defending champions Bloomfield full points when they held out to a draw at the CCC grounds. Bloomfield who had already taken a first innings lead of 49 closed their second innings 265-5 with Mineth Premaratne (103* off 131 balls, 12 fours) and Janith Liyanage (102 off 118 balls, 10 fours, 1 six) appearing in a fourth wicket stand of 175. For Liyanage it was a rare opportunity to score a century in each innings of the match having made 107 in the first innings. Left with the task of chasing 315 for victory, Nugegoda SWC were not too happily placed at 123-8 with Kevin Perera defending stoutly for 51* off 62 balls (7 fours). Off-spinner Ravindu Fernando bowled his heart out to capture 5/44.

Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews led a Colts fight back against CCC to force a no-decision at the P Sara Oval in a high scoring contest where 1048 runs were scored for the loss of 14 wickets. In reply to CCC’s mammoth score of 595-6 declared, Colts who resumed at 119-4 battled it out till the end to finish on 453-8. Mathews who missed out on a century by seven runs (93 off 185 balls, 7 fours, 2 sixes) and Dhananjaya Lakshan (74 off 155 balls, 7 fours) put on 136 for the fifth wicket, after which Dunith Wellalage (50 off 76 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes), Muditha Lakshan (60* off 83 balls, 10 fours) and Kavishka Anjula (55* off 52 balls, 11 fours, 1 six) kept the innings afloat to frustrate the eight bowlers used by CCC.

Janith Liyanage, a century in each innings (107 and 102) for Bloomfield

Promod Maduwantha’s century failed to get BRC over the line