SLC MAJOR LEAGUE TIER ‘A’ SUPER EIGHT

By Srian Obeyesekere

CCC, the only winners from the first week’s matches,  ran in to trouble on resumption in the second week of the Sri Lanka Cricket Major League Tier ‘A’ Super Eight when they were bundled out for 142 runs by lowly Saracens SC at the SSC Grounds yesterday. 

However, the table leaders soon hit back reducing Saracens to 148 for 7 wickets at stumps.

Having been put in to bat, CCC lost wickets cheaply except for opener Minod Bhanuka who stood firm stroking a composed 92 off 122 balls with 11 boundaries and 2 sixes. Only two other CCC batsmen got into double figures namely Ashan Priyanjan who made a 28-ball 22 with 5 boundaries and Ron Chandraguptha 10 on a day skipper Kusal Mendis fell cheaply for 6. The last six batsmen fell for the addition of just 7 runs with four ducks to boot as strike bowler Kasun Rajitha reaped figures of 5 for 63.

When Saracens batted it was the same story as five wickets crashed for 61 runs, but in that storm Skipper Milinda Siriwardena played a captain’s innings of a run a ball 89 hitting 14 boundaries and 2 sixes to rescue his side. He put on 73 runs for the sixth wicket with Chamikara Edirisinghe who made a sedate unbeaten 17 inclusive of 3 boundaries.

BHANUKA RAJAPAKSA A CAPTAIN’S KNOCK 

In another Super Eight match, BRC ran up 316 against NCC at the FTZ Grounds, Katunayake with skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa leading the way with a rapid 82-ball 115 spiced with 6 lusty sixes and 12 hits to the ropes in a show of exhibition batting. Adding luster to the innings was young Duvindu S. Tillakaratne with an unbeaten 53 off 108 balls laced with 6 boundaries.

Young Ashen Daniel making his first class debut had a great start with a 4 wicket haul for 98 to cap his entry in to the firmament.

RAGAMA CC 258 VS COLTS CC: SAMINDA FERNANDO 73

Meanwhile, Ragama CC bad losers to CCC last week, posted 258 off 63 overs versus Colts CC having elected to bat on winning the toss at the CCC Grounds. Saminda Fernando top scored with 73 off 93 balls hitting 10 boundaries and a six. Lahiru Thirimanne scored a plucky 29 off 67 balls with 4 boundaries sharing in a 105-run alliance for the first wicket with Fernando. Coming in at No. 6 Nishan Madushka Fernando hit a brisk 57 off 75 with 6 boundaries and 2 sixes to prop up the total.

 Colts were on 76 for 2 wickets at stumpsoff 25 overs with both of last week’s centurions Santhush Fernando and Angelo Mathews unbeaten  on 30 and 17 respectively. Santhush hd hit 4 boundaries off 59 balls and Mathewss 3 boundaries facing 22 deliveries and the pair looking in good nick.

CHILAW MARIANS REDUCE ARMY SC TO 5/2 AFTER SHEHAN JAYASURIYA’S 95

Meanwhile, Chilaw Marians CC defending a first innings total of 269, struck two early blowsagainst the Sri Lanka Army SC reduced to 5 for 2 wickets in just 5 overs when paceman Avishka Fernando sent back Thulina Dilshan for 1 to a catch lobbed to Irosh Fernando, and Kamindu Mendis trapped Ashan Randika LBW for 1.  

The Marians top scorer was Shehan Jayasuriya with 95 off 147 balls inclusive of 9 boundaries while other main contributions were from Pulina Tharanga who chipped in with 41 off 81 with 4 boundaries and Oshada Fernando 38 off 73 with 2 sixes and a boundary.  

AT SSC 

CCC 142 (40.4 Overs) RR: 3.49

(Minod Bhanuka 92. Ashan Priyanjan 22, Ron Chandraguptha 10, Kasun Rajitha 5/63), 

Jeewantha 3/33). 

SARACENS SC 148/7 (38 Overs) RR: 3.89

(Milinda Siriwardena 89, Chamikara Edirisinghe n.o. 17 3, Lahiru Gamage

4/24, Vishwa Fernando 2/24)

AT CCC GROUNDS 

RAGAMA CC 258 (63 Overs) RR: 4.09 

(Saminda Fernando 73, Nishan Madushka Fernando 57, Udara Jayasundera 30, 

Lahiru Thirimanne 29, Janith Liyanage 25, Ishan Jayaratne 17, Akila Dananjaya 4/24, 

N.G.R.Prabath Jayassuriya  3/76, Santhush  Gunathilaka 2/36)

COLTS CC 76/2 (25 Overs) RR: 3.04

(Sanhush Gunathilaka n.o. 30, Angelo Mathews n.o. 17,  Sadeera Samarawickrema 14, 

Avishka Fernando 14)

AT FTZ SPORTS COMPLEX, KATUNAYAKE

BRC 316 (86.3 Overs) RR: 3.65

(Bhanuka Rajapaksa 115, Duvindu S. Tillakaratne n.o. 53, Hashen

 Ramanayake 36, Deshan Dias 31, Deshan de Soysa 27, M. Shiraz 24, Ashen Daniel 4/98, 

Shanuka Dulaj Withanawasam 1, Lahiru Kumara 2/63).

AT P.SARA STADIUM  

CHILAW MARIANS CC 269 82.3 Overs RR: 3.26

(Shehan Jayasuriya 95 147 9, Pulina Tharanga 41 81 4,

 Oshada Fernando 38 73 1 2, Thikshila de Silva 22 17 0 3,

73 1 2, Irosh Fernando 19,  Nimesh. Vimukthi n.o. 11, 

Asela Gunaratne 3/37, Dushan Vimukthi 3/90, A. Janith

Chathuranga Silva 2/20).

SRI LANKA ARMY SC 5/2 (5 Overs) 1.0