SSC beat Tamil Union to top Group A; Army SC heads Group B

Chanaka Devinda

Nadeera Balasooriya

Vishad Randika

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Spinners Lakshitha Manasinghe and Kavindu Nadeeshan bowled SSC to a comprehensive 121-run win over Tamil Union in a SLC Limited-Over inter-club top of the group clash at the SSC grounds yesterday.

Powered by a brilliant knock of 89 off 100 balls (11 fours) by Nipun Dananjaya and 62 off 91 balls from Nadeeshan SSC ran up 267 in their 50 overs. Then the spinners got to work on the Tamil Union batting to bowl them out for 146 with Manasinghe, a standby in Sri Lanka’s squad for the first Test against Australia at Galle taking four wickets and Nadeeshan three wickets.

The win saw SSC displace Tamil Union at the top of Group A with 10 points. Tamil Union and Moors SC who beat NCC by 58 runs are tied on nine points in second and third places respectively.

Army SC continued to top Group B with their fourth straight victory beating Chilaw Marians CC by 98 runs. Army SC’s win was fashioned out by their skipper Thisara Perera who made a top score of 70 off 58 balls (five fours, one six) in their total of 261-9 and leg-spinner Suminda Lakshan who too four wickets for 23 to put out Chilaw Marians SC for 163.

Former Sri Lanka spinner Tharindu Kaushal hit an unbeaten 59 off 56 balls (five fours, three sixes) to guide Panadura SC to a thrilling one-wicket win over Ragama CC. Chasing a target of 251, Panadura SC required nine off the last over bowled by fast bowler Nipun Malinga. Kaushal struck the first ball of the over for six, ran a couple off the second and took a single off the third to earn Panadura SC a creditable win.

Sri Lanka spinner and Colts captain Akila Dananjaya’s spell of four wickets for 31 proved in vain as Ace Capital CC chased down a target of 243 to win by four wickets with 33 balls to spare thanks to fifties from Thanuka Dabare and Duleeka Thissakuttige. Vishad Randika hit a career best 88 off 93 balls (nine fours, one six) for Colts.

CCC captain Ashan Priyayanjan turned on a career best bowling performance taking six for 30 – his first five-fer in a career spanning 190 limited-over games to bowl his team to a two-wicket win over Navy SC, while Dulanjana Mendis returned remarkable figures of 4 wickets for two runs with his left-arm spin to bowl out Kurunegala YCC for 71 and bring Air Force SC an easy seven-wicket win.

Former Sylvestrian Nadeera Balasooriya guided Police SC to a six-wicket win over Badureliya SC with a maiden fifty (59* off 72 balls, four fours, two sixes) after they had faltered in their run chase of 156 losing half the side for 61. Off-spinner Nalin Priyadarshana took a career best five for 36 as Police SC dismissed Badureliya SC for 155.

40-year-old Thushira Madanayake took a career best five for 52 with his off-breaks to help Lankan CC beat Saracens SC by three wickets.

In the other matches concluded yesterday Air Force SC beat Kurunegala YCC by seven wickets, Sebastianites beat Kalutara TC by 121 runs, Nugegoda SWC beat Negombo CC by 35 runs, and Galle CC beat BRC by nine runs (D/L method).