The week 5 of the AIA Premier League Tournament 2015/16 ended on 4th January with three outright victories for SL Ports Authority, Colts and NCC while the other games were won on first-innings by Ragama CC, SSC and Saracens SC.
After five weeks of action, CCC and Galle lead group A and B respectively and have booked their place in the Super Eight stage. SL Ports Authority and Colts completed their wins within two days while NCC needed only an hour on day three to notch up their 2nd consecutive victory.
NCC vs SL Army
Left-arm spinner Chamikara Edirisinghe’s 13-wicket match bag inspired NCC to a 9-wicket win over SL Army at Panagoda.
Army managed to only 17 runs to their overnight score of 75, which gave an easy target of 55. NCC achieved the target losing only one wicket.
SL Army – 190 all out in 56.5 overs: Asela Gunarathne 67*, Dushan Vimukthi 38, Shalika Karunanayake 30, Chamikara Edirisinghe 7/57.
NCC – 228 all out in 90.2 overs: Jehan Mubarak 78, Anuk Fernando 79, Nuwan Liyanapathirana 2/35, Seekkuge Prasanna 2/40.
SL Army (2nd inn) – 92 all out in 33.3 overs: Lakshan Edirisinghe 26, Sanjika Ridma 37, Chamikara 6/48, Jehan Mubarak 3/14.
NCC (2nd inn) – 59/1 in 6.3 overs: Niroshan Dickwella 25, Upul Tharanga 31*.
Ragama vs Tamil Union
Lahiru Milantha’s 191 and Udara Jayasundera’s 100 laid the foundation for Ragama as they won on first-innings against Tamil Union in their drawn encounter played at P. Sara Oval grounds.
From the overnight score of 324 for 2, Ragama reached 559. Former Josephian Roshen Silva chipped in with 51. The hosts’ in their second innings ended the match on 134 for 1.
Tamil Union – 426 all out in 95.5 overs: Dhananjaya De Silva 91, Sithara Gimhan 76, Jeewan Mendis 82, Manoj Sarathchandra 59, Ramith Rambukwella 29, Sanjaya Fernando 4/74, Amila Aponso 3/104, Chathura Peiris 2/80.
Ragama – 324/2 in 82 overs: Udara Jayasundera 100, Lahiru Milantha 191, Roshane Silva 51, Ramith Rambukwella 3/102, Charith Jayampathi 2/57.
Tamil Union (2nd inn) – 134/1 in 34 overs: Pabasara Waduge 63*, Dhananjaya De Silva 34.
Galle vs SSC
SSC managed to go past Galle’s first-innings score and bag the first-innings points in a crucial drawn encounter at SSC grounds.
After being 306 for 6 overnight chasing 376, young batting guns, Kavindu Kulasekara and Harith Maduwantha steered the SSC innings with fine half-centuries. The visitors made 201 in their second innings.
Galle – 376 all out in 80.4 overs: Chamara Silva 108, Rumesh Buddhika 85, Nisal Randika 69, Dasun Shanaka 6/69, Kasun Madusanka 2/66.
SSC – 399 all out in 100 overs: Dasun Shanaka 108, Thilina Kandamby 82, Kavindu Kulasekara 56, Harith Maduwantha 62, TM Sampath 4/74, Suraj Randiv 3/109.
Galle (2nd inn) – 201 all out in 64 overs: Chamara Silva 51, Suraj Randiv 33*, Tharindu Rathnayake 4/65, Dasun Shanaka 2/15, Binura Fernando 2/25.
Saracens vs Chilaw Marians
Akalanka Ganegama’s maiden first-class century was not enough for Chilaw Marians as they fell short of 5 runs against Saracens in their drawn encounter at FTZ grounds in Katunayake.
Make-shift opener, Ganegama resumed his innings from the overnight score of 62. He went onto score 133 but Akila Ishanka and Umesh Karunarathne restricted the hosts’ to only 400 in reply to Saracens’ first-innings score of 405.
Saracens – 405/9 declared in 131.2 overs: Sangeeth Cooray 53, Chanaka Ruwansiri 43, Gamindu Kanishka 35, Umesh Karunaratne 35, Alankara Asanka 102*, Rajith Priyan 64, Lahiru Gamage 5/145, Saliya Saman 2/42.
Chilaw Marians – 400 all out in 129.4 overs: Akalanka Ganegama 133, Saliya Saman 60, Thikshila De Silva 38, Akila Ishanka 4/134, Umesh Karunarathne 4/101.
