After being demoted to the division 2 category in 2012, the Sinhalease Sports Club came back to the under 23 division 1 championship with a bang securing the title beating the strong Nondescript Cricket Club in the final played at Colts grounds over the final weekend of August.
SSC skipper Sanka Ramesh did nothing wrong from the outset of the match as he won the toss and asked his opponents to take the first lease of the surface. NCC batsmen were made to toil hard as run-scoring was difficult. Left-handed middle order batsman Sandun Weerakkody cracked a quick-fire 67 runs in 55 deliveries as NCC posted 230 runs in their 1st innings. Pawan Devinda and Lahiru Madusanka chipped in with 33 and 30 respectively. Seamer Kasun Madusanka grabbed 3 wickets and his skipper Sanka captured 3 wickets with his right-arm leg spinners.
SSC in their 1st innings was hit strongly by the pace of Sri Lanka ‘A’ fast-bowler and NCC opening bowler Dushmantha Chameera as he struck three times in a fiery opening spell as SSC were in dire-straits early on at 25 for 5. Strong resistance was needed as Captain Sanka Ramesh was joined by all-rounder Ramesh Mendis and the pair successfully rescued their team as they put on a match-winning 215 run-partnership for the 6th wicket as SSC took the vital first innings points of the match. Skipper remained unbeaten on 125 in 215 balls with 13 fours while Ramesh Mendis made 113 runs in 152 balls. The SSC innings came to an end in the 77th over as they posted 304 runs.
NCC had to do something extraordinary to win the game outright from there onwards as they managed to counter-attack the SSC bowlers in the 2nd innings thanks to a couple of scintillating knocks by two left-handers, Niroshan Dickwella and Sandun Weerakkody. Niroshan hammered 80 runs in 74 balls while Sandun scored a 82-ball 100 as NCC declared their innings on 331 for 8 leaving 258 runs for their bowlers to take out SSC in the 2nd innings on a wearing Colts surface.
SSC top-order failed to contribute apart of Josephian Pathum Madusanka who made 40 opening the batting as they were restricted to 103 for 4 at one stage before Sanka Ramesh came to the party once again with Kavindu Kulasekara to take their team to safety as both batsmen scored patient and slow half-centuries as SSC were 223 for 4 at close of play on Sunday.
SSC ended their fruitful season as worthy winners of the SLC under 23 division 1 cricket tournament 2014.
Chief Scores:
NCC (1st innings) – 230 all out in 46.5 overs: Sandun Weerakkody 67, Pawan Devinda 33, Lahiru Madusanka 30, Kasun Madushanka 3/45, Sanka Ramesh 3/46.
SSC (1st innings) – 304 all out in 77 overs: Ramesh Mendis 113, Sanka Ramesh 125*, Dushmantha Chameera 3/52, Saveen Nanayakkara 3/31.
NCC (2nd innings) – 331/8 declared in 57.1 overs: Niroshan Dickwella 80, Lahiru Udara 45, Sandun Weerakkody 100, Lahiru Madusanka 48, Dasun Shanaka 3/55, Sanka Ramesh 2/46.
SSC (2nd innings) – 223/4 in 75.1 overs: Pathum Madushanka 40, Sanka Ramesh 59*, Kavindu Kulasekara 67*.
