SSC continue winning ways with third successive innings triumph

• Results in all six Tier B 3-Day League matches

By Sa'adi Thawfeeq

Prabath Jayasuriya took a match bag of 11/131 for SSC vs. Ragama CC	Rusiru Vilochana scored 113 for Sebastianites

SSC continued to stamp their authority in the Tier B 3-Day League with their third consecutive innings victory in as many matches, when they beat Ragama CC by an innings and 6 runs at the SSC Grounds on Sunday.

Ragama CC simply didn’t have any answers to SSC’s bowling attack after being forced to follow-on 188 runs in arrears in the first innings and succumbed for 182. 

Ragama CC’s batsmen once again became the victims of Sri Lanka Test left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who ended up taking 5/53 to go with his first innings tally of 6/78, giving him match figures of 11/131. Part-time spinner Nuwanidu Fernando picked up 4/29 with his off-breaks to provide a perfect foil to Jayasuriya. Ragama CC, who resumed at 139-3, lost their remaining wickets for the addition of 43 runs.

Joining SSC with outright wins were United Southern SC, Negombo CC, and Moratuwa SC. Second-placed United Southern SC fought back after conceding a first innings lead of 15 runs to pull off a 94-run win against Leo CC at Moors SC grounds. 

Leo CC were left with the task of chasing 297 for victory, but were bowled out for 202. They lost their first eight wickets for 125 and were never in the hunt to chase down the target despite late resistance from Romesh Suranga (63 off 113 balls, 3 fours, 3 sixes) and Senash Fernando (37), who together added 73 for the ninth wicket, which only delayed the inevitable. Spinners Dhanosh de Silva and Kavindu Ediriweera took seven wickets between them.

Galle CC suffered their third outright defeat in a row when they lost by an innings and 32 runs to Negombo CC at the BRC grounds. 

Following on 156 runs behind on the first innings, Galle CC, who resumed at 22-3, folded up tamely for 124, their batsmen falling prey to spinners of Amitha Perera (4/33) and Dhanushka Sandaruwan (3/47).

Moratuwa SC came from behind to snatch a six-wicket win against Navy SC at Welisara. 

After conceding a first innings lead of 46, Moratuwa SC came back strongly to dismiss Navy SC for 157 in the second innings and leave themselves a target of 203 to chase for a win. Moratuwa SC didn’t begin the chase too well, losing four wickets for 70, but an unbroken 134-run stand between Pubudu Bandara (72 off 117 balls, 9 fours, 1 six) and Gavin Boteju (86* off 82 balls, 10 fours, 4 sixes) saw them home. Left-arm spinners Gayan Sirisoma and Madushika Sandaruwan ran through the Navy SC batting in the second innings, taking seven wickets between them.

Sebastianites and Army SC had to be satisfied with first innings points when their respective matches ended in a draw. 

Sebastianites were denied full points by Kandy Customs SC’s ninth wicket pair Lahiru Attanayake (17*) and Kavisha Induwara (8*), who stuck it out for 53 balls as they finished on 99-8, having been set a target of 349 to chase at the Salawa Army grounds, Kosgama. 

In Sebastianites’ second innings, Rusiru Vilochana, who started the season with an unbeaten double century against Leo CC, hit a superb 113 (off 122 balls, 12 fours) sharing an opening stand of 127 with Malinga Maligaspe (59 off 67 balls, 7 fours). Manelkar de Silva added the final flourish with 74 off 63 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes) for Sebastianites to declare at 316-6.

Malay CC held out in their second innings, scoring 106-7 to deny Army SC full points at Panagoda. 

Army SC made a strong reply to Malay CC’s first innings of 379 with 430-9 declared, where Asela Gunaratne (70 off 111 balls, 7 fours), Thisara Perera (53 off 62 balls, 5 sixes), and Shehada Zoysa (99 off 101 balls, 8 fours, 6 sixes) all made half-centuries. With a handy first innings lead of 51, Army SC soon had Malay CC in trouble with left-arm spinner Malka Madushanka taking 5/51.