U23 Cricket – Minod Bhanuka shines on T20 opening day

The Under 23 Division 1 T20 tournament began yesterday (20/7). Match day 1 saw 12 matches worked off in Colombo and its suburbs. SSC, Ports Authority, Lankan CC, Galle CC, Chilaw Marians, BRC, Negombo CC, NCC, Colombo CC, Colts CC, Police SC and Navy SC registered wins.

SSC vs Kaluthara TC

SSC eased to a 109 run win over Kaluthara Town in the game played at SSC home grounds. Batting first SSC posted a giant total of 199 as Minod Banuka scored an unbeaten 94 off 59 deliveries. Ramesh Mendis scored 68 not out off 41 balls to guide SSC to their target.

Chasing an enormous 200 run target, Kaluthara Town were bundled out for just 90 runs in 20 overs. Rusira Ravishanka (27) and Gihan Sanjeewa (23) were the only two batsmen to get into double figures for Kaluthara Town. Andrew Parais picked 3/18 while Nuwan Thushara managed 2/9 for SSC.

Brief Scores:

SSC – 199 for 4 in 20 overs: (Minod Banuka 94, Ramesh Mendis 68)

Kaluthara TC – 90 all out in 20 overs: (Rusira Ravishanka 27, Gihan Sanjeewa 23, Andrew Parais 3/18)

Ports Authority vs Army SC

Sri Lanka Ports Authority managed a 26 run win over Army SC in the game played at FTZ grounds Katunayake. Ports Authority scored 130 as they were bowled out in 19.5 overs. Ishan Rangana top scored for Prots Authority with 36 while Kanishka Perera made 31.

Yohan de Silva scored 40 for Army in their chase but it was all in vain as Army SC were bowled out for just 104 in 18 overs. Harsha Rajapaksha picked 3/17 while Ishan Rangana also bagged 3/23.

Brief Scores:

Ports Authority – 130 all out in 19.5 overs: (Ishan Rangana 36, Kanishka Perera 31, Dilshan de Soyza 2/1, Sanjika Ridma 2/29, Nalin Perera 2/31)

Army SC 104 all out in 18 overs: (Yohan de Silva 40, Harsha Rajapaksha 3/17, Ishan Rangana 3/23, Shehan weerasinghe 2/13)

Ragama CC vs Lankans CC

Ragama CC were overpowered by Lankan CC as they chased down a 141 run target set by Ragama CC. Janith Liyanage  scored 47 for Ragama , while Pathirana top scored with 78 as he guided Lankan CC to victory

Brief Scores:

Ragama CC– 140 for 9 in 20 overs: (Janith Liyanage 47, J Dias 2/23, A Perera 2/30)

Lankan CC -141 for 7 in 19.3 overs: (Pathirana 78, J Dias 30, T Weerakoon 3/21)

Galle CC vs Customs SC

Galle CC were made to work hard in their chase of a below par 118 and they lost 8 wickets in the process. Hashan Hewanayaka top scored for Customs SC with 67 even though they slumped to 115 in 20 overs. Dulash Udayanga scored an unbeaten 59 as he assisted Galle CC over the line in the final over of the game.

Customs SC – 115 for 9 in 20 overs: (Hashan Hewanayaka 67, Praboda Madusanka 4/18, Gihan Niroshan 2/13)

Galle CC – 118 for 8 in 19.1 overs: (Dulash Udayanga 59*, Aravinda Vithanarachchi 3/30, Ugeesha Deeshan 2/27)

Chilaw Marins vs Badureliya SC

Champions in the 50 over format, Chilaw Marians defended their target of 184 with relative ease as they bowled out Badureliya for just 83 in 14 overs. Batting first Chilaw Marians managed 184 for 7 in the allotted 20 overs. Kasun Vidura top scored with 63 as Lakkana Jayasekara scored 45. Chasing 185 Badureliya were bundled out for 83 as Ayana Siriardana picked 4/22, Chalana de Silva 2/12 and Thikshila de Silva 2/13.

Chilaw MCC – 184 for 7 in 20 overs: (Kasun Vidura 63, Lakkana Jayasekara 45, Thikshila de Silva 26, Chandula Weerarathna 2/21)

Badureliya CC – 83 all out in 14.1 overs: (Milan Abeysekara 20, Ayana Siriardana 4/22, Thikshila de Silva 2/13, Chalana de Silva 2/12)

Saracens vs BRC

BRC chased down 134 effortlessly to register a 6 wicket win over Saracens. Sangeeth Cooray’s 50 and Duleeka Tissakuttige’s 38 steered Saracens to a reasonable 133 for 7 in 20 overs.  Three 30+ scores from BRC batsman (Dulanja Silva 34, Nipuna Gamage 31, Lasith Lakshan 31) guided them to 134 in 17.2 over losing just 4 wickets.

Saracens SC – 133 for 7 in 20 overs: (Sangeeth Cooray 50, Duleeka Tissakuttige 38, Niranjan Wanniarachchi 2/23, Poorna Aluthge 2/18)

BRC – 134 for 4 in 17.2 overs: (Dulanja Silva 34, Nipuna Gamage 31, Lasith Lakshan 31, V Kulatunga 1/13)

Negombo CC vs Tamil Union

Tamil Union were unable to chase down a low target of 99 as they were restricted to 92 in their allotted 14 overs. The game was reduced to 14 overs per side as rain interrupted play at the P. Sara Oval. Negombo CC scored 98 in 14 overs for the loss of 8 wickets. Sithara Gimhan played his heart out as he scored 41 but his team fell short by 6 runs in their chase.

Negombo CC – 98 for 8 in 14 overs: (Akeel Inham 22, Shihan Dilasiri 19, Ishara Prasan 2/19, Devin Pathmanathan 2/21

Tamil Union – 92 for 8 in 14 overs: (Sithara Gimhan 41*, Dineth Thimodya 36, Praveen Dilanka 2/11, Nishan Pieris 3/17)

Panadura SC vs NCC

NCC chased down 76 in their game against Panadura SC which was reduced to 11 overs per side due to bad weather. Ranith Gunarathne’s 15 was the top score in Panadura SC’s total of 75 while Aravinda Akurugoda managed 3/17 for NCC with the ball. Niroshan Dickwella spearheaded NCC’s low chase with 23 while Lahiru Udrara scored 20 to accompany Niroshan at the crease even though they lost 8 wickets in the process.

Panadura SC – 75 for 9 in 11 overs: (Ranith Gunarathne 15, Aravinda Akurugoda 3/17, Sachintha Pieris 2/14, Nimesha Gurusinghe 2/01

NCC – 76 for 8 in 10.5 overs: (Niroshan Dickwella 23, Lahiru Udrara 20, Roshan Perera 4/16, Lahiru Sanjaya 3/15)

Air Force vs Colombo CC

Colombo CC were made to work hard towards their target of 96 in yet another shortened game due to bad weather.  Air Force scored 95 in 16 overs as they made first use of the pitch at Colombo CC’s home ground. Lahiru Jayakody top scored with 31 in Colombo CC’s chase while Raveen Sayer scored an unbeaten 29 to help Colombo CC past Army while losing 6 wickets.  

Air Force SC – 95 for 9 in 16 overs: (Vishwa Chaturanga 25, Udayawansa Parakkrama 20, Roshan Anurudda 4/20)

CCC – 96 for 6 in 14.1 overs: (Lahiru Jayakody 31, Raveen Sayer 29*, Dilip Tharaka 3/21)

Kurunegala YCC vs Colts

Randeera Ranasinghe top scored for Kurunegala YCC with 30 in their score of 76 for 2 in 9 overs. Sahan Arachchige scored 41 for Colts as they chased down 77 in just 6.2 overs. Kalana Perera also made 24 unbeaten runs to help Colts in their chase.

Kurunegala YCC – 76 for 2 in 9 overs: (Randeera Ranasinghe 30, Damith Perera 27, Pramod Maduwantha 1/02)

Colts CC – 77 for 2 in 6.4 overs: (Sahan Arachchige 41, Kalana perera 24*, Randeera Ranasinghe 1/28, Kaveen Bandara 1/15)

Moors vs Police SC

Police chased down 44 for the loss of 1 wicket in just 2.3 overs as they beat Moors in a rain curtailed game at Colts grounds. Dilan Suraweera made 23 unbeaten runs to cruise past Moors. Moors managed just 41 runs for 8 in 6 overs.

Moors SC – 41 for 8 in 6 overs: (Minhaj Jaleel 16, Dilan Suraweera 4/09, N Rathnayaka 2/07)

Police SC – 44 for 1 in 2.3 overs: (Dilan Suraweera 23*, Nimantha Rathnayaka 16*)

Bloomfield vs Navy

Madura Madushanka’s unbeaten 56 helped Navy down Bloomfield by 7 wickets. Mohammad Akram managed 40 as he drove Bloomfield to a below par 120 for 8 in 20 overs. In reply Navy sailed past Bloomfield’s score losing 3 wicket in the process using up only 15.3 overs.

Bloomield C & AC – 120 for 8 in 20 overs: (Mohammad Akram 40, Kanishka Abeysekara 4/14)

Navy SC – 122 for 3 in 15.3 overs: (Madura Madushanka 56*, Yohan Suresh 32, M Akram 1/09)