Tier B 3-Day League Negombo CC and Army SC involved in rare tie

The Tier B 3-Day League saw five outright wins and a rare tie of the six matches concluded on Sunday (25).

Negombo CC and Army SC were involved in a tied match at the Army Grounds, Panagoda.

Chasing a target of 241, Army SC were dismissed for 240 to tie the match after Negombo CC had been dismissed for 147 in their second innings. In pursuit of their goal, Army SC were strongly placed for a win at 202-3, with Chrishen Aponsu (87 off 112 balls, 11 fours, 1 six) and former Sri Lanka cricketer Asela Gunaratne (92 off 82 balls, 12 fours, 1 six) putting together a stand of 136. 

But once they were separated, Negombo CC came back strongly to capture seven wickets for 38 and tie the match through off-spinners Shehan Pramod (4/80) and Amitha Perera (3/72). Earlier, spinners Gayan Chandrabose (6/67) and Shehada Zoysa (4/49) ran through the Negombo CC, batting where only Umesh Lakshan (53 off 70 balls, 6 fours) made any impression with the bat.

Ragama CC, who didn’t have things going their way in the tournament, pulled off a crucial outright win by 231 runs against Moratuwa SC at Salawa Army Grounds, Kosgama Sunday to keep themselves away from being relegated. 

For much of the season, Ragama CC were languishing towards the tail end of the standings, but this win, coupled with the first innings win against Navy SC last weekend, have lifted them up in the standings. Ragama CC, who held onto a healthy first innings lead of 178, declared their second innings at 264-6 after Chanaka Wijesinghe had completed a delightful century (109 off 107 balls, 18 fours) and, with Ravindu Sembakutty (86 off 117 balls, 8 fours, 2 sixes), added 177 for the fifth wicket. 

Left with the tall task of chasing a target of 443, Moratuwa SC were bowled out for 211 despite making a promising start, with openers Abishek Liyanarachchi (56 off 76 balls, 10 fours, 1 six) and Pubudu Bandara (63 off 110 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) posting 89. The rest of their batting was consumed by spinners Upul Indrasiri (4/80) and Koshan Jayawickrama (4/31).

SSC continued their march inexorably towards the Tier B 3-Day League title when they beat United Southern SC by three wickets at the SLLDC Grounds, Kirimandala, to record their seventh outright in eight matches. 

It was not an easy game for the table leaders, as they were made to fight hard to achieve the win. United Southern SC took a 29-run first innings lead by bowling out SSC for 183 in the first innings. But SSC fought back like they had done the previous weekend against Army SC, to dismiss United Southern SC for 122 in their second innings. Left with a target of 151, SSC slumped to 88-6, but Nuwanidu Fernando (47* off 32 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) and Lakshitha Manasinghe (14) put on 54 runs in partnership to ensure SSC maintained their unbeaten record. Sri Lanka Test spinner Prabath Jayasuriya was instrumental in bowling out United Southern SC in the second innings, with figures of 7/62.

After seven consecutive defeats, Navy SC won their first match of the tournament when they beat Kandy Customs SC by seven wickets at Army Grounds, Dombagoda. 

The match winner for Navy SC was former Benedictine left-arm spinner Dilanka Auwardt, who ran through the Kandy Customs SC second innings for 109, taking 8/39. Navy SC, who had conceded a first innings lead of 74, chased down their target of 184 through an unbroken 145-run stand between Rajitha Rathnayake (55* off 85 balls, 5 fours) and Sumalka Fernando (90* off 78 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes). Navy SC scored 279 in their first innings, with Poorna Charuka stranded on 99* off 127 balls (2 fours, 8 sixes). Seamer Yashoda Mendis took 5/44.

Leo CC pulled off a thrilling two-wicket win against Colombo Malay CC at the BRC Grounds to make progress towards the top. 

Colombo Malay CC lost their remaining six wickets for 110 runs to be all out for 237, leaving Leo CC 155 to chase for victory. The game swung both ways before Leo CC recovered from 94-6 to make 160-8 and win. Salindu Pathirana scored 44 off 43 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes) but it was the cool head Romesh Suranga (27* off 41 balls) that finally saw Leo CC home.

Left-arm spinner Chatura Randunu took 5/94, and Ramesh Nimantha (50 off 133 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) and Supun Kavinda (65 off 80 balls, 6 fours, 2 fours) made fifties apiece to give Galle CC a five-wicket win against Sebastianites at Air Force Grounds, Katunayake. 

Sebastianites scored 196 and 195 and Galle CC 223 and 172-5. – [ST]