The final day of the group stages of the SLC Invitation Limited-Over tournament saw only 3 games in Group B being worked off in Colombo and Galle to finalize who plays who in the quarter finals on 28th December.
The fixtures between Ports Authority V Police SC and NCC V Chillaw Marians CC were crucial as the results of those fixtures would decide who qualifies from Group B, along with NCC into the quarter finals.
Ambidextrous spinner Kamindu Mendis’ brilliant 5-fer helped Chilaw Marians topple NCC and win the 2nd position of the group while the other contestant for that position, Ports Authority failed against Police SC in a low scoring thriller. Mendis also supported with an unbeaten 31 in the chase of 174 in addition to Rumesh Buddhika’s 53 at the top of the order.
>>Read More – Sachindu Colombage’s 5-wicket haul keeps NCC unbeaten <<
Brief Scores
Toss – Police SC
Venue – Police Park
Sri Lanka Ports Authority CC – 161 (49.3) Supun Kavinda 54, Mithila Aravinda 27, Amoda Widanapathirana 21, Prashan Wickramasinghe 20, Asel Sigera 4/18, Supun Madusanka 3/27, Mohommed Faheem 2/47
Police Sports Club – 162/6 (44.2) Dulash Udayanga 35, V A Indulkar 30, Asel Sigera 27, Lakshan Rodrigo 21, Chanaka Komasaru 2/23
Police SC won by 4 wickets
Photos: SL Ports Authority CC vs Police SC | SLC Invitation Limited Over Tournament 2019/20
Toss – Galle CC
Venue – Galle Intl.
Kandy Customs Sports Club – 147 (45.1) Chrishen Aponsu 47, Akeel Inham 20, Saranga Rajaguru 2/12, Kavika Dilshan 2/25, Abid Hasan 2/29
Galle Cricket Club – 83/2 (22) Mansoor Amjad 51*
Galle CC won by 34 runs (D/L)
Toss – NCC
Venue – NCC ground
Nondescripts Cricket Club – 173 (44.5) Chathuranga De Silva 40, Pathum Nissanka 36, Mahela Udawatte 30, Sahan Arachchige 20, Kamindu Mendis 5/33, Arun Melayil 2/34
Chilaw Marians Cricket Club – 177/5 (40.4) Rumesh Buddika 53, Kamindu Mendis 31*, Lasith Croospulle 28, Shehan Jayasuriya 25, Pulina Tharanga 22*
Chilaw Marians won by 5 wickets
Photos: NCC vs Chilaw Marians CC | SLC Invitation Limited Over Tournament 2019/20
At the end of the first round of matches, here are the best performers of the tournament
Highest Runs Scorers
| Player | Runs | Ave | 100 | 50 |
| Angelo Perera (NCC) | 301 | 75.25 | 0 | 4 |
| Upul Tharanga (NCC) | 244 | 40.66 | 2 | 0 |
| Charith Asalanka (SSC) | 237 | 118.5 | 1 | 1 |
| Lasith Croospulle (Chilaw Marians) | 229 | 57.25 | 1 | 1 |
| Dushan Vimukthi (Army SC) | 224 | 74.66 | 0 | 3 |
>>Watch – Blast from the Past – Ambidextrous cricketer Kamindu Mendis<<
Highest Wicket takers
| Player | Wkts | Ave | 5-fers |
| Kamindu Mendis (Chilaw Marians) | 13 | 10.38 | 1 |
| Tharindu Ratnayake (SSC) | 11 | 10.45 | 1 |
| Chamika Karunaratne (NCC) | 11 | 17.27 | 0 |
| Sachindu Colombage (NCC) | 11 | 18.81 | 1 |
| Vimukthi Perera (Tamil Union CC) | 10 | 13.7 | 0 |
The quarterfinals of the tournament will be held on 28th December from 10am onwards.
Quater final Fixtures
| Date 28 Dec | Match | Venue | |
| QF 1 | A1 – SSC | D2 – Tamil Union C & AC | NCC |
| QF2 | B1 – NCC | C2 – Saracens SC | Colts |
| QF3 | C1 – Panadura SC | B2 – Chilaw MCC | SSC |
| Q4 | D1 – Air Force SC | A2 – Army SC | MCG Katunayake |
