By Srian Obeyesekere
Sri Lanka T20 wicket keeper opening batsman Kamil Mishara struck a rapid unbeaten run a ball 160 off 159 balls for his eighth first class hundred as NCC ran up 383 for 7 wickets on the opening day of their Sri Lanka Cricket Major League Super Eight match against table leaders Colts CC who took a bad beating with Lahiru Udara too continuing his thick tournament run vein falling short of what would have been back to back tons following his mammoth double century last week as former Lankan wicket keeper veteran batsman Niroshan Dickwella, cast into the wilderness in a long time by the national selectors, hit back that he is not a slouch in stroking a compelling half century at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Lahiru Udara (94) and Niroshan Dickwella hit half-centuries to see NCC reach 383-7 against Colts at stumps on day one of the SLC Major League Super Eight match which began at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
After being put into bat, NCC openers Dickwella and Udara put on a rapid 105 runs for the opening wicket in just 18.3 overs before Dickwella departed. Mishara, who then joined Udara, continued to punish the Colts bowlers, taking the side to 217 before Udara fell six runs short of a deserving century. His 94 came off 107 balls and included 10 boundaries. Mishara, however, batted through the day, taking NCC to a formidable first-day score with his unbeaten 160 off 159 balls. His innings included 13 boundaries and three sixes. Akila Dananjaya and Kavishka Anjula shared five wickets between them.
A quick-fire 160 off 123 balls by Nadeera Balasooriya and an unbeaten 83 from Priyamal Perera accounted for almost Police SCs 286 between them as the rest failed to capitalise on their grand twosome effort against Ace Capital CC who were 26 for 1 in their turn at stumps at the NCC Grounds. Balasooriya’s struck 21 boundaries and three sixes, and Perera 10 in his 129-ball knock.
Nishan Madushka and Pavan Rathnayake hit half-centuries in a CCC score of 319 for 7 against Moors SC in their match at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
Meanwhile, batsmen continued to hold sway on the first day as BRC reached 308 for 5 against Bloomfield C&AC driven by three half centuries by Pramod Maduwantha unbeaten on 79, Raminda Wijesuriya 77 and Risira Weerasuriya 58 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
Chief Scores:
At Pallekele: NCC 383-7 vs Colts
NCC 383 for 7 (79) at stumps (Kamil Mishara 160 n.o., Lahiru Udara 94, Niroshan Dickwella 54, Kavindu Pathiratne 30, Ahan Wickremasinghe 20; Akila Dananjaya 3/121, Kavishka Anjula 2/66) vs Colts
At NCC: Ace Capital trail Police SC by 240 runs
Police SC 286 all out (68.5) (Nadeera Balasooriya 130, Priyamal Perera 83n.o., Sangeeth Shehara 40; Chamod Battage 3/57, Isitha Wijesundara 3/76)
Ace Capital 26 for 1 (6) at stumps (Pawantha Weerasinghe 17 n.o., Pawan Pathiraja 9n.o.)
At R. Premadasa: CCC 319-7 vs Moors SC
CCC 319 for 7 (81.3) at stumps (Nishan Madushka 94, Pavan Rathnayake 83n.o., Dhananjaya de Silva 64, Dulnith Sigera 30; Santhush Gunatilake 3/39) vs Moors SC
At Galle: BRC 308-5 vs Bloomfield
BRC 308 for 5 (87) at stumps (Pramod Maduwantha 79n.o., Raminda Wijesuriya 77, Risira Weerasuriya 58, Risth Upamal 25; Duvindu Tillakaratne 2/36) vs Bloomfield C&AC.
