Tier B 3-day League SSC take first innings lead - Sebastianites shot out for 99

Saturday, 3 January 2026 00:56 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

SSC’s Promod Madushan rocked Sebastianites’ batting with four wickets

Leo CC’s Mangala Pradeep took 8/83 against Navy SC

Seekkuge Prasanna displayed his prowess with the bat for Army SC

Of the five matches that began yesterday in the Tier B 3-day League, table toppers SSC have already taken a first innings lead by dismissing Sebastianites for 99 at the Bloomfield grounds yesterday.

Sebastianites who won the toss and chose to bat first were all at sea against the seam movement of Kasun Rajitha (2/21) and Promod Madushan (4/30) with wicket-keeper Navindu Nirmal offering the only form of resistance scoring 37 off 101 balls. SSC in their reply lost three early wickets for 41 but recovered to end the day at 163-5 courtesy half-centuries from the skipper Avishka Fernando (57 off 64 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) and Kenul de Zoysa (70 off 97 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) and lead by 64 runs.

Army SC’s lower order came to their rescue to haul them up from a shaky 75-6 to an imposing 361-9 by the close against Ragama CC at Panagoda. An entertaining 152-run stand off 147 balls between Shehada Zoysa (82 off 73 balls, 14 fours, 1 six) and Captain Seekkuge Prasanna (84 off 117 balls, 7 fours, 4 sixes) was the feature of their batting. Late in the day Ratnarajah Thenurathan (82* off 73 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes) and Theekshana Wickramasinghe (12*) rubbed more salt on the wound with an unbroken stand of 76 for the tenth wicket.

Buddhika Hasaranga (89 off 135 balls, 11 fours) and Thimira Malshan (91* off 116 balls, 9 fours, 2 sixes) shared a 117-run partnership for the eighth wicket to help Colombo Malay CC end the day on 272-9 against Galle CC at Moors SC grounds. Off-spinner Subhanu Rajapaksa had figures of 4/71.

Moratuwa SC’s veteran left-arm spinner Gayan Sirisoma took 5/81 to restrict Kandy Customs SC to 204-9 at Army grounds, Dombagoda. Lahiru Attanayake (51 off 109 balls, 4 fours) and Lakshan Gamage (52 off 99 balls, 7 fours) struck fifties apiece, but once they were dismissed Kandy Customs SC lost five wickets for 51 before bad light ended play early.

Left-arm spinner Mangala Pradeep produced his best figures 8/83 to dismiss Navy SC for 260 at Welisara. Asiri de Silva (65 off 110 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) and Thevindu Dickwella (50 off 68 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) stood out in the batting but their dismissals led to Navy SC losing their last seven wickets for 110 runs. By the close Leo CC had wiped out 68 runs losing three wickets and trail by 192 runs.

All these matches will continue on its second day today while Negombo CC and United Southern SC commence their match at Air Force ground, Katunayake today. [ST]