SSC on course to win outright against Galle CC

Saturday, 13 December 2025 00:16 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Tier B 3-day tournament

SSC’s Nuwanidu Fernando punches off the back foot during his knock of 110*

Crishen Aponsu, a maiden century for Army SC

Thevindu Dickwella’s century has placed Navy SC in strong position

SSC produced a commanding performance on the opening day of their Tier B 3-day match against Galle CC at Bloomfield grounds yesterday. They shot out Galle CC for 118, and by the close had raced away to an imposing total of 308-7 to place themselves in a position to pull off an outright win.

The damage to the Galle CC innings was done by Sri Lanka’s white ball seamer Pramod Madushan (5/32) and Test left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya (4/48). Only Supun Kavinda put up any sort of resistance scoring 54 off 51 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes). In reply skipper Avishka Fernando got SSC off to a good start scoring an entertaining 68 off 72 balls (6 fours, 1 six). But the later batsmen failed to keep up the pace and SSC slumped to 190-6. That was when Nuwanidu Fernando took control of the innings with a delightful knock of 110* off 83 balls studded with 8 fours and 8 sixes. With Milinda Siriwardena (39), Fernando added an entertaining 107 off 76 balls for the seventh wicket to put the innings back on course.

Leo CC was the other club to take first innings points on the opening day. In their match played at Welisara, Leo CC bundled out Moratuwa SC for 131 and by the close had replied with 156-1, the feature of the innings so far being the unbroken second wicket stand of 135 off 256 balls between Hirun Sigera (86* off 147 balls, 8 fours, 2 sixes) and Ashen Mendis (61* off 131 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes). Galle CC’s batting was undone by spinners Mangala Pradeep (4/40), Malshan Gunasinghe (3/18) and Senash Fernando (3/34). Rashmika Mevan was the stand out player for Galle CC with 72 off 74 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes).

Army SC posted the highest total of the day 321-7 against Kandy Customs SC at Army grounds, Dombagoda. Chrishen Aponsu, the former Cambrian cricketer posted a maiden century – 122 off 181 balls (7 fours, 1 six) and with Pathum Dilshan (61 off 84 balls, 3 fours) shared a second wicket stand of 113. Veteran left-arm spinner Umega Chaturanga was the pick of the nine bowlers used, with 4/86.

Former Isipathanian Thevindu Dickwella hit a sparkling 113 off 143 balls (11 fours, 4 sixes) and shared an opening partnership of 177 with Waruna Mayantha (92 off 97 balls, 9 fours, 4 sixes) to place Navy SC in a strong position against Colombo Malay CC at the BRC grounds. Spinners Sudara Dakshina and Yesith Rupasinghe took seven wickets between them for Malay CC who finished on 72-4, to trail by 229 runs.

United Southern SC did well to dismiss Ragama CC for 187 at Salawa Army grounds, Kosgama. A combination of seam and spin accounted for the Ragama CC wickets with Tharush Damindu taking 4/45 and Dhanosh de Silva 3/38. Kavindu Ranasinghe top scored with 65 off 118 balls (10 fours). United Southern SC were 21-1 at stumps.

A fighting unfinished 92-run stand for the sixth wicket by skipper Angelo Jayasinghe (62* off 166 balls, 5 fours) and Dimuth Sandaruwan (44* off 109 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) enabled Negombo CC to 115-5 to end the day at 209-5 against Sebastianites at Air Force grounds, Katunayake.

All six matches will continue on their second day today. – [ST]