SLC MAJOR EMERGING CLUBS C’SHIP FINALS:

Shot out for 123 in the second innings, Tamil Union overcame a spirited Sebastianites fight back to win a cliff hanger final by 44 runs to become champions of the Sri Lanka Cricket Major Emerging Clubs Championship on the third and final day at the Sinhalese Sports Club Grounds on Sunday.

The twosome of Manalker de Silva 5 for 27 and Tharindu Ratnayake 4 for 56 brought back the Sebastianites into the game as Tamil Union, resuming from a shaky overnight 39 for 3, flopped for 123.

It was to set up the tempo for an absorbing finish as the Sebastianites chased 210 for victory. But it was not to be as Tamil Union in that final scramble were to thrive on the 87-run first innings leverage they enjoyed. It proved to be the ultimate deciding factor as the Sebastianites run chase would go nothing as far as 166 pitted against the heroics of Dilum Sudeera who yanked another 5-wicket haul to follow up his first innings 7 for 65 for a match bag of 12 for 126. On a decisive day that 17 wickets toppled Sudeera’s efforts were to overshadow the gall of the opposing camp’s Manalker de Silva in that 5-wicket grab and Ratnayake’s 4-wicket burst for a match bag of 9 for 186.

It was the perfect all-round finish for Sudeera whose second innings top score of 36 brought his side back into the game.

CHIEF SCORES:

Tamil Union 254 (71.5 Overs) AND 123 (45.1 Overs) (Dilum Sudeera 36, Santhush Gunatilleka 32, Navod Paranavithana 14, Ravin de Silva 14, Manalker Silva 5/27, Tharindu Ratnayake 4/56) Sebastianites 167 (67.1 Overs) AND 166 (57.4 Overs) (Vimud Sapnuka 52, Nishad Silva 33, Nishan Gunasekera 18, Dilum Sudeera 5/61, Kavindu Pathiratne 2/24)