Last year’s finalists NCC, Bloomfield make it to quarter-finals

Tamil Union Captain Minod Bhanuka top scored for his team with 43

Moors SC celebrate another Badureliya SC wicket

Dushan Hemantha playing a captain’s knock of 59* for Panadura SC

Openers Isuru Fernando and Ravija Sandaruwan set the pace for BRC with 72 off 38 balls

Colts’ ambidextrous spinner Shyamsunder Krishnashriram took 3/13

Nimesha Gunasinghe played a lone hand for Ace Capital CC (3/21 and 62)

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Last year’s finalists – defending champions NCC and Bloomfield along with Moors SC, Panadura SC, CCC, BRC, Colts and Tamil Union have qualified for the quarter-finals of the SLC Major Clubs T20 following the completion of the group matches yesterday.

CCC with as many as eight national players in their side were beaten by 7 runs by Panadura SC in their final league game played at the P. Sara Oval. The return of Wanindu Hasaranga who led the team and Nuwan Thushara fresh from the IPL did not help CCC who failed to chase down a moderate target of 127 when Panadura SC restricted them to 119-9.

Only two batsmen got into double figures; Nishan Madushka making 52 off 38 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes) at the top and Isuru Udana (23* off 17 balls, 3 fours). 20-year-old Vishen Halambage broke the back of the CCC batting with career best figures of 3/25 that included the wickets of the two cricketing brothers Wanindu Hasaranga and Chathuranga de Silva. Earlier, Panadura SC invited to bat first scored 126-6 with Dushan Hemantha playing a captain’s innings of 59* off 34 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes). 

Moors SC ended their group campaign with a 4-wicket win against Badureliya SC at the Colts grounds. Badureliya SC were bundled out for 127 by the spin trio of Praveen Jayawickrama, Ramesh Mendis and Malsha Tharupathi who took 2 wickets apiece. Badureliya SC’s total would have looked dreadful had it not been for Keshara Nuwantha’s maiden fifty – 57 off 46 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes) that saw them recover from 38-6. Moors SC powered by Omesh Mendis’ 51 off 28 balls (5 fours, 4 sixes) and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s 41 off 31 (6 fours) were home and dry with 5 overs to spare.

Ace Capital CC lost a golden opportunity of playing in the quarter-finals when they lost their final group match to NCC by 3 runs at Colts grounds. Ace Capital CC did extremely well to dismiss the strong NCC side for 118, leaving themselves with 119 to chase and win for a place in the quarter-finals. They were well placed to do so at 95-4 at the end of the 17th over with Nimesha Gunasinghe having captured 3/21 with his off-breaks going strong with the bat. Ace Capital CC required 10 off the final over but seamer Sampath Nishshanka struck a crushing blow to their hopes when he bowled Gunasinghe for a well compiled 62 off 61 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes). Ace Capital CC required 8 off the last four balls but managed only four singles. Ace Capital CC’s loss allowed CCC to sneak into the last eight despite losing their final game to Panadura SC. NCC with the win topped Group A.

In another close finish Tamil Union edged out Nugegoda SWC for a place in the quarter-finals by beating Bloomfield by 2 wickets at the CCC grounds. It was Bloomfield’s second defeat from their last 3 matches. Bloomfield put up a poor batting display to end up with a below par score of 119-8 which was chased down by Tamil Union who also didn’t have it easy being 102-8 at one stage before squeezing home with 8 balls to spare. Eshan Malinga produced another excellent spell of seam bowling for Bloomfield to finish with 3/28. Tamil Union captain Minod Bhanuka top scored with 44 off 33 (3 fours, 3 sixes).

BRC finished their group fixtures on a high beating Chilaw Marians CC by 8 wickets at the CCC grounds to finish on top of Group B. Chilaw Marians CC managed 121-7 after deciding to bat first. Sakuna Liyanage was their top scorer with 35 off 21. All-rounder Movin Subasingha played a key role in BRC’s win taking 3/15 with his off-spin and following it up with 32* off 16 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes) as BRC won with 49 balls to spare. Openers Rajiva Sandaruwan (51 off 25 balls, 4 fours, 4 sixes) and Isuru Fernando (36 off 22, 2 fours, 2 sixes) set the pace with 72 off 38 balls.

Colts rounded off their group fixtures with a 59-run win against Police SC at P. Sara Oval to join Havelock Park rivals BRC at the top of Group B with 8 points each. Opener Sangeeth Cooray made the tournament’s highest individual score – 93* off 59 balls (7 fours, 4 sixes) for Colts to run up 166-6. Police SC failed to cope with the left-arm seam of Dilshan Madushanka (3/12) and the ambidextrous spin of Shyamsunder Krishnashriram (3/13) and replied with 107-9.

The quarter-final line-up for 11 June: 

• At P Sara Oval: NCC v Tamil Union, BRC v CCC
• At CCC grounds: Moors SC v Bloomfield, Colts v Panadura SC