SSC, Panadura SC secure outright wins

• Under-23 Inter-Club two-day tournament

SSC and Panadura SC won their respective matches of the Under-23 Inter-Club two-day tournament against Kandy Customs SC and Army SC.

SSC, with a game in hand, virtually booked their place in the quarter-finals with a crushing innings and 4-run win against Kandy Customs SC at the Panadura esplanade. 

The writing was on the wall for Kandy Customs SC after they were shot out for 69 in the first innings in reply to SSC’s total of 261. Forced to follow-on, Kandy Customs SC put up a much better performance with the bat, but it was not enough for them to avoid an innings defeat. Kandy Customs SC were dismissed for 188, with spinners Dinuka Wanniarachchi (match bag of 7/81) and Malsha Fernando (7/109) doing the damage. Only Hasindu Wickramarachchi resisted with 56 off 69 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes).

Panadura SC, boosted by a century from opener Suwahas Fernando (107 off 214 balls, 11 fours) and a half-century from Neksha Iddamalgoda (62 off 102 balls, 4 fours), scored 275 and dismissed Army SC twice for 175 and 139 (following-on), with off-spinner Malintha Silva taking a match bag of 7/109. Requiring 40 to win, Panadura SC got there losing five wickets.

Kurunegala Youth CC had to be content with first innings points after Nugegoda SWC came up with a strong batting performance in their second innings having followed-on to post 209-2 at the Welagedara Stadium. 

Nugegoda SWC’s batting succumbed to the spin of Dinuka Tennekoon (3/70) and Vathila Udara (3/80) to be dismissed for 213 in their first innings. Janeth Kaushal top-scored with 70 (106 balls, 13 fours). The batting showed more stability in the second innings with Lahiru Dawatage (101* off 110 balls, 8 fours) and Abishek Jayaweera (73 off 61 balls, 5 fours, 5 sixes) sharing a stand of 137.

Colts beat Navy SC on first innings at Welisara, running up an impressive 404-2 declared where openers Randunu Ganganath (169 off 207 balls, 15 fours, 1 six) and Hiran Jayasundara (229 off 224 balls, 37 fours, 3 sixes), the former Sri Lanka Under-19 Captain, shared a massive stand of 400 off just 429 balls. Navy SC were dismissed for 191 with Ohas Sadew taking 5/39 and Shanil Perera 4/40. Yuneth Seneviratne made 60 off 99 balls with five sixes. Colts, in their second essay, scored 159-2, with skipper Randunu Gaganath following his first innings knock of 169 with 82 off 112 balls (10 fours) and Aaron Kodituwakku (54* off 77 balls, 8 fours).

Bloomfield recovered from losing half their side for 86 to beat United Southern SC on first innings at Salawa Army grounds, Kosgama. 

Nisala Abeyratne played a match-winning knock of 68 off 129 balls (7 fours, 1 six) sharing in two crucial partnerships of 76 and 60 with Shanikya Deshapriya (27) and Hansamana de Silva (56 off 56 balls, 3 fours, 4 sixes) respectively to help Bloomfield total 284-9 declared in reply to United Southern SC’s 167 and 138-6 in the second innings.  

Badureliya CC hit up a massive total of 654 to no avail as their match against Ragama CC ended in a tame draw at Surrey Ground, Maggona. 

Badureliya CC batted for as long as 160.5 overs, leaving Ragama CC only nine overs, during which time they lost three wickets for 37. Feature of the Badureliya CC innings were the double centuries scored by Manasa Madubashana (222 off 342 balls, 22 fours, 1 six) and skipper Hiruna Gallage (203* off 281 balls, 21 fours, 1 six), and their partnership of 295 for the sixth wicket.

Negombo CC and Kurunegala SC were involved in a high-scoring draw at Samadhi Grounds, Anuradhapura. 

Captain Hansana Hiruna scored 106 off 201 balls (12 fours, 2 sixes) with half-centuries from Thathsara Eshan (72) and Kaveen Deneth (64). Kurunegala SC in reply scored 315-8 with Dinuga Abeysekera scoring 105 off 167 balls (12 fours, 1 six) and fifties from Ashan Shanilka (68) and Janith Ravishka (50).

In the matches that began yesterday, CCC and Leo CC made merry with the bat against Sebastianites and Moratuwa SC, respectively. 

At BRC grounds, CCC, winning the toss and batting first, raced to 417-9 declared. Openers Sarith Sudeena (84 off 58 balls, 8 fours, 5 sixes) and Venura Vithanage (111 off 161 balls, 15 fours) gave them the base for their big total with a stand of 138. A further stand of 130 between Vithanage and Anjala Bandara (82 off 74 balls, 7 fours, 4 sixes) gave an additional uplift to the total. Former Jaffna Hindu College Captain Sutharshan Subarnan took 4/114 with his off-breaks. By stumps, Sebastianites were 33-1.

A workhorse-like century from opener Avintha de Alwis (119 off 220 balls, 8 fours) and a half-century from Salindu Pathirana (59 off 105 balls, 11 fours) saw Leo CC bat throughout the day to score 336-7 against Moratuwa SC at Air Force Grounds, Katunayake. 

Both matches will continue today. – [ST]