Bloomfield are on the cusp of clinching a First-Class title after a 15-year drought, having Outmanoeuvred NCC on first innings as the four-day final at R. Premadasa Stadium heads into its last lap on Saturday. This is no fluke – it’s a story of grit, determination, and team spirit triumphing over star power.
For a club that doesn’t boast marquee names, Bloomfield have punched well above their weight, outplaying some of the most fancied sides in the tournament. Their final showdown was against an NCC outfit stacked with half a dozen Sri Lankan internationals. On paper, NCC were the clear favourites, but cricket isn’t played on paper – it’s played on a 22 yard surface. And when it mattered most, Ron Chandraguptha delivered a back-to-the-wall knock that flipped the script in Bloomfield’s favour.
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With Dimuth Karunaratne retired from Test cricket and a few other spots up for grabs, Chandraguptha couldn’t have picked a better time to deliver. Battling in the unforgiving Colombo heat, he dug deep to score his maiden double century – a career-best effort that spanned two days of high-pressure cricket. Knocks like these don’t go unnoticed, and the national selectors will surely have taken note.
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Lahiru Udara, another top-order batter knocking on the national door, also put up a fine show with a classy 145 for NCC. Unfortunately for him, individual brilliance wasn’t enough to salvage the game. Udara has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket, and given the Sri Lankan team’s search for stability, he should be a strong contender for the upcoming Bangladesh series.
While Chandraguptha and Udara are in their 30s, Bloomfield have a couple of young guns in their ranks who could serve Sri Lanka well in the years to come. Asitha Wanninayake and Hashitha Boyagoda, both former Sri Lanka Under-19 players, had been waiting in the wings for their breakthrough moment. The final provided them with the perfect stage, and they didn’t disappoint. Their partnerships with Chandraguptha proved invaluable, underlining their potential to step up when the stakes are high.
It was Tharanga Dhammika who guided Bloomfield to their last title 15 years ago, and he has done it again, defying the odds and outmaneuvering more fancied opponents. The club’s success is a testament to the fact that sometimes, having too many stars can be a double-edged sword. With players frequently away on national duty, clubs are often left scraping the bottom of the barrel to find replacements. Bloomfield, however, built their campaign on collective effort rather than individual brilliance—and it has paid rich dividends.
Bloomfield’s resurgence is even more remarkable considering the financial and logistical hurdles they have had to clear. Their primary revenue stream was abruptly cut off when the Urban Development Authority took over the telecom towers at their premises – a bitter pill to swallow. If that wasn’t enough, their iconic pavilion was nearly bulldozed to make way for a hotel at the adjacent Racecourse rugby facility. Fortunately, saner heads prevailed, and the club still stands tall – just as it has through decades of Sri Lankan cricketing history.
This First-Class triumph is not just a title win; it’s a statement. A club that has produced some of Sri Lanka’s finest cricketers has clawed its way back from adversity, proving that resilience, meticulous planning, and sheer hard work can still trump financial muscle.
A tip of the hat to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for extending the final to four days. Though challenges remain, if this format can be implemented for the entire season, it would be a significant step toward strengthening the domestic structure.
SLC has already made bold moves to streamline the First-Class system. Next season, the number of teams will be trimmed to 14, with a further reduction to 12 the following year – an acknowledgment that fewer teams will foster a more competitive and high-quality tournament. From a bloated 26-team competition to a more elite 12-team structure, the progress is evident.
One of the biggest shocks of the season is the relegation of Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), a club steeped in history and tradition. It’s almost unthinkable that a team that has set such high standards over the years will not feature in First-Class cricket next season. But cricket, like life, can be cruel. SSC simply didn’t play well enough across the season, and luck wasn’t on their side either.
Joining SSC in relegation are Ragama Cricket Club, Negombo Cricket Club, and Kandy Customs, all of whom will lose their First-Class status next season.
For Bloomfield, this title is more than just silverware – it’s a shot in the arm, a morale booster, and a signal that they are back among the big boys. They’ve done it the hard way, without big names, big budgets, or big egos. And if this triumph is anything to go by, there’s plenty more to come from Reid Avenue’s finest.
The future is bright, and Bloomfield have proven that in cricket, as in life, persistence pays off.
