The NCC were well set to take first innings honours after a tremendous batting display on the second day of their Sri Lanka Cricket inter club Premier League Super Eight match against the arch rivals SSC which continued at Panagoda today.
NCC v SSC
Chasing their opponents first innings total of 288 runs NCC got off to a flying start and went on to reach an impressive 187 for just one wicket from 34.1 overs.
The NCC openers wicket keeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella and skipper Upul Tharanga made their intentions clear from the beginning as they set about their target in style while stroking the ball to all parts of the ground.
Dickwella fell to a sparkling 87 from 99 deliveries which included a dozen of boundaries while Tharanga remained unbeaten on 73 from 83 ball having already struck eleven boundaries.
Earlier the NCC wrapped up the SSC first innings while capturing the last two wickets quickly with the spin duo of Tharindu Kaushal (4 for 104) and Dushmantha Chameera (3 for 49) sharing the wickets.
CCC v Ports Authority
Meanwhile the CCC have already built up a good first innings lead over Sri Lanka Ports Authority CC in their SLC inter club Premier League Super Eight match which continued at the NCC ground in Maitland Place today.
The CCC innings was built around a magnificent century from former Sri Lanka cap Chamara Silva who made 154 runs from 199 deliveries with the help of one six and nineteen boundaries.
Chamara Silva was also involved in a superb sixth wicket partnership of 165 runs along with former Sri Lanka youth cap Madhuka Liyanapathiranage who struck an unbeaten 75 from 159 deliveries studded with one six and nine boundaries.
Tamil Union v Army
Tamil Union came back strongly with a superb bowling performance to take major honours on the second day of their Sri Lanka Cricket inter club Premier League Super Eight match against Sri Lanka Army Sports Club which continued at Katunayake today.
Defending a modest total of 276 runs Tamil Union stuck to their task and had the satisfaction of restricting their opponents for just 128 for 4 wickets in 52 overs.
The hero for Tamil Union was their dynamic left arm spinner Chamikara Edirisinghe who produced a brilliant spell of bowling to capture all four wickets for just 28 runs in 18 overs.
Opener Mohamed Feshal hit a top score of 58 runs for Army SC with the aid of seven boundaries and also added 79 runs for the first wicket along with his partner and wicket keeper batsman Leo Francisco.
However with the introduction of spin into the attack the game took a dramatic change as Tamil Union were able to pick up a couple of quick wickets backed up by some smart fielding.
Moors v Ragama CC
Meanwhile Moors Sports Club made 210 in their first innings on the opening day of their Sri Lanka Cricket inter club Premier League tournament Super Eight match against Ragama CC which began at the Surrey Village ground in Maggona today.
Moors SC batting first after winning the toss lost an early wicket and they never recovered from this setback as wickets fell quite regularly before bad weather brought an early end to the day’s proceedings.
In fact Moors SC were struggling at 127 for four wickets at one stage after Sajeewa Weerakoon, Kaushalya Weeraratne and Alankara Asanka had caused the early damage through some splendid bowling.
However Moors SC’s fifth wicket pair of Kaushalya Gajasinghe and Janaka Gunaratne came into the rescue with a stubborn unbeaten partnership of 83 runs from 27.2 overs.
Gajasinghe was unbeaten on 62 having faced 124 deliveries and has so far struck ten boundaries.
