Sri Lanka cricketers were on show today on the opening day of the Major Limited-Over tournament with Test Captain Dimuth Karunaratne, ex-skipper Angelo Mathews and Suranga Lakmal turning out for their respective clubs.

These cricketers, who have been sidelined from white-ball cricket by the national selectors and the Cricket Advisory Committee, last appeared in competitive cricket in the Test against Bangladesh in April this year, after which the controversial performance-based player contract dispute arose.

Karunaratne, opening the batting for SSC against Police SC at the NCC grounds, managed 17 off 30 balls before being dismissed, while Mathews fared a little better, scoring 45 off 60 balls (two fours, one six) for Colts against Galle CC at the Colts grounds. Lakmal, leading Tamil Union, took one wicket for 24, bowling six overs in their match against Sebastianites at the P. Sara Oval.

Former Sri Lanka white-ball captain Thisara Perera, leading Army SC, smashed a powerful 60* off 29 balls (seven fours, two sixes) in their seven-wicket win over Air Force SC.

In the other matches, Ace Capital CC, Tamil Union, Police SC, CCC, Colts, Chilaw Marians and Kalutara TC won their matches, while three matches were abandoned without a ball bowled. – (ST)  

RESULTS:

+At Dombagoda

Air Force SC 140-8 (50) (Asantha Singappuli 41*) lost to Army SC 141-3 (21) (Ashan Randika 57, Thisara Perera 60*) by seven wickets. 

+At Maggona: 

Ace Capital CC 243-9 (50) (Umesh Karunaratne 81*, Buddika Sanjeewa 3/71) beat Badureliya CC 120 (29.1) (Jeevan Mendis 32, Chanaka Komasaru 6/14) by 123 runs. 

+At Moors: Moors SC v Lankan CC. No Result match abandoned.

+At P. Sara Oval: 

Sebastianites 186 (42.5) (Adeesha Nanayakkara 55, Jeffrey Vandersay 3/43) lost to Tamil Union 149-4 (37) (Damith Perera 45, Kamesh Nirmal 57) by two runs (D/L method).

+At Welisara: 

Navy SC 160 (42.4) (Madura Madushanka 37*, Senal de Silva 5/41) lost to Kalutara TC 164-8 (41.2) (Inshaka Siriwardena 31*, Anuk Fernando 3/38) by two wickets. 

+At NCC: 

SSC 190-7 (36) (Krishan Sanjula 76) lost to Police SC 137-4 (25.1) (Maduranga Zoysa 55) by 15 runs (D/L method).  

+At Welagedera Stadium: Kurunegala SC v Kandy Customs SC. No Result match abandoned.

+At Bloomfield: Bloomfield v Panadura SC. No Result match abandoned.

+At CCC: 

CCC 230-7 (47) (Sonal Dinusha 93*, Pavan Ratnayake 53) beat BRC 154 (38.2) (Shasheen Fernando 35) by 76 runs. 

+At Colts: 

Colts 226-6 (50) (Sangeeth Cooray 45, Angelo Mathews 45) beat Galle CC 189-7 (47) (Dilshan Kanchana 36, Dulash Udayanga 36*, Kavishka Anjula 4/37) by 17 runs (D/L method).

+At Katunayake: 

Chilaw Marians CC 289-8 (50) (Romesh Buddhika 54) beat Saracens SC 140 (43.1) (Nipun Karunanayake 28) by 149 runs.

Rohitha starts cricket career with a golden duck