SLC MAJOR LEAGUE TIER ‘A’ SUPER EIGHT
By Srian Obeyesekere
The big shootout between the CCC and NCC ended in a high scoring draw with just the two innings going through, but with the CCC coming tops by a first innings win and emerging the Super Eight champions of the Sri Lanka Cricket Major League Tier ‘A’ Tournament by virtue of their superior points tally of 89.95 from the six matches on Sunday. For the record, CCC enjoyed an unblemished run with 4 wins and 2 draws while Chilaw Marians emerged runners-up with 68.89 points from 2 wins, 1 loss and 3 draws. NCC ended third with 64.1 points with 1 win, no losses and 5 drawn.
CCC ended the day on 480 for 6 in response to NCC’s 467. It was symbolic that dictating terms in ensuring CCC made it a stroll in the park to the championship title was skipper Kusal Mendis who slammed an unbeaten 200 off 300 d balls containing 24 boundaries and a six.
The overnight fourth wicket pair of Mendis and Lasith Abeyratne, who resumed on 73 and 49 respectively, shared in an unbroken 171-run alliance with the CCC skipper retiring with the total on 307 for 3. Abeyratne struck 104 off 166 spiced with 5 sixes and 4 boundaries while Lahiru Madushanka remained unbeaten with a 116-ball 63 with 8 boundaries.
Among the wickets for NCC were Dushmantha Chameera with 2 for 81 and Lahiru Kumara 2 for 103.
Ragama CC let SL Army SC off the hook
The Ragama CC versus Sri Lanka Army ended in a draw at the CCC Grounds with the Ragama camp having left their opponents off the hook considering the total control they enjoyed having had the Army on their knees on 93 for 6 in response to their 501 for 9 declared.
The Army was bowled out for 189 consuming 24.1 overs on the final day with No.10 Heshan Hettiarachchi striking a 54-ball 50 inclusive of 6 boundaries and 2 sixes. Despite a colossal 312 first innings lead Ragama CC opted not to enforce the follow on and declared the second innings on 126 for 8 setting their opponents a victory target of 439 with hardly the sufficient overs to wrap it up with the Army on 66 for 2 off 16 overs.
BRC Vs Saracens SC drawn
The BRC versus Saracens SC encounter ended in a draw at the FTZ Sports Complex, Katunayake. Saracens SC made 262 having added 71 runs to their 191. Soon after Saracens struck back bundling out the strong BRC for just 124 in their second essay with strike bowler Mohomed Dilshad returning the remarkable figures of 7 for 42. Requiring the impossible target of 255 for victory in 21 overs Saracens SC were 75 for 3.
Colts CC Vs. Chilaw Marians CC a tame draw
The Colts versus Chilaw Marians CC match petered out to a tame draw at the the SSC Grounds. Chilaw Marians declared at the overnight score of 399 for 9 in reply to Colts CC’s 308. Colts had made 227 for 5 in their second innings when stumps were drawn. Santhush Gunathilaka top scored with 82 off 174 balls inclusive of 11 boundaries while Sangeeth Cooray was unbeaten on 57 off 113 with 7 boundaries.
SUPER EIGHT:
AT THE P. SARA STADIUM
NCC 467 (O/N 341/5 (125.3 Overs) RR: 3.72 (P.C. de Silva 159, L.U. Igalagamage 111, M.L. Udawatte 77, S.S.D. Arachchige n.o. 35, W.U.Tharanga 16, P.M. Pushpakumara 6/80, P.L.S. Gamage 2/66)
CCC 480/6 (O/N 210/3) (123 Overs) RR: 3.9
(B.K.G. Mendis retired 200, L.Abeyratne 104, L.D. Madushanka n.o. 63, M. Bhanuka 33, S.M.A. Priyanjan 23, R.K. Chandraguptha 19, P.V.D. Chameera 2/81, C.B.R.L.S. Kumara 2/103)
AT FTZ SPORTS COMPLEX, KATUNAYAKE:
BRC 392 (O/N 319/6) (110.1 Overs) RR: 3.55
(R. Wijesuriya 109, S.D. Withanawasam 94, R. Wijesuriya n.o. 64, N. Francisco 52, P.D. Dias 39, P.B.B. Rajapaksa 33, D.D. de Soysa 26, R.M. Liyanarachchi 4/66, S.N. Peiris 2/85)
And 124 (27.1 Overs) RR: 4.56
(H. Ramanayake 35, N. Francisco 22, U.A. Morais n.o. 17, W.W.W. L. Lakshan 13, M.N.M. Dilshad
7/42, S.N. Peiris 3/28)
SARACENS SC 262 (O/N 191/5) (64 Overs) RR: 2.97
(P. Maduwantha 47, S. Gimhan 43, G.K. Amarasinghe 43, R.M. Liyanarachchi 37, K.N.A. Bandara 31, S.N. Peiris 21, K.V.N. Nirmal 17, M. Shiraz 4/74, D.S. Tillakaratne 2/36, P.B.B. Rajapaksa 2/49)
And 75/3 (21 Overs) RR: 3.57
(K.N.A. Bandara 36, K.V.N. Nirmal n.o. 20, S. Gimhan 10, P. Maduwantha n.o. 4)
AT THE CCC GROUNDS
RAGAMA CC 501/9 decl. (O/N 294/5) (144.3 Overs) RR: 3.46
(J. Liyanage 107, S. Fernando 92, A.R.S. Silva 80, B. Fernando 62, K.N.M. Fernando 56, M.A. Aponso 44, J. Liyanage n.o. 17, H.I.A. Jayaratne , K.Y.N. Mendis 3/74, S. Prasanna 2/128, W.M. Madusanka 2/84 )
And 126/8 decl. (30.2 Overs) RR: 4.15
(S. Fernando 32, A.R.S. Silva 18, J. Liyanage 16, M.D.U.S. Jayasundera 13, P.W.S. Dulshan
n.o. 12, K.D.V. Vimukthi 5/38, S. Prasanna 3/32)
SL ARMY 189 (O/N 93/6) (59.1 Overs) RR 3.19
(H. Hettiarachchi 54, L.D. Chandimal 50, K.D.V. Vimukthi 20, S. Prasanna 13, P.W.S. Dulshan 4/44, H.I.A. Jayaratne 2/13)
And 66/2 (16 Overs) RR: 4.12
(D.A.S. Gunaratne n.o. 22, W.T. Dilshan 19, L.P.P.M. Kumara n.o. 15,)
AT THE CCC GROUNDS
COLTS CC 302 (72 Overs) RR: 4.19
(S. Gunathilaka 74, M.D.K. Perera 58, M.M.M.S. Cooray 38, A.M. Fernando 5/87, S.T. de Silva 2/65)
And 227/5 (75 Overs) RR: 3.02
(S. Gunathilaka 82, M.M.M.S. Cooray n.o. 57, P.V.R. de Silva 32, W.I.A. Fernando 21, A.D. Mathews 13, M.D.K. Perera n.o. 7, N. Vimukthi 2/59)
CHILAW MARIANS CC 399/9 (O/N 53/0) (101 Overs) RR: 3.95
(M.L.R. Buddhika 145, K.V.A. Adikari n.o. 68, Lasith Croospulle 54, G.S.N.F.G. Jayasuriya 28, B.O.P. Fernando 35, S.T. de Silva 20, D.H.A.P. Tharanga 15, P.H.K.D. Mendis 10, M.D.K. Perera 3/84, W.A.N. Ransika 2/58).
