A total of twenty wickets tumbled in a dramatic opening days play in the Sri Lanka Cricket Premier League inter club cricket tournament three day match between the SSC and Sri Lanka Ports Authority CC which commenced at Maitland Place today.
Even then the SSC who elected to field first after winning the toss had the satisfaction of taking first innings honours in an eventful opening day as they went on to make a healthy 184 runs after having bundled out their opponents for just 128 runs.
The chief wrecker for SSC was their spinner Sachithra Senanayake who ripped through the Sri Lanka Ports Authority batting line up with a superb five wicket haul while the back up support came from Chatupama Gunasinghe.
However SSC also struggled for runs from the beginning as they lost wickets at regular intervals against the hostile pace of seamer Isuru Udana who returned outstanding bowling figures of seven wickets for 58 runs.
SSC eventually managed to overtake their opponents total and went on to build up a first innings lead of 56 runs largely due a fighting half century from opening batsman and skipper Tharanga Paranavithana who was last man out for a superb knock of 59 runs which included one six and half a dozen of boundaries.
Meanwhile Bloomfield were well set to build up a good first innings lead after they had dominated the opening days play in their match against the Tamil Union which commenced at Reid Avenue today.
Bloomfield’s spin combination of skipper Suraj Randiv and Amila Aponso snapped up three wickets each to dismiss their opponents for a modest 235 runs after been put into bat despite a splendid half century from middle order batsman Tillekeratne Sampath who hoisted one six and nine boundaries during his knock of 57.
Bloomfield of course suffered an early setback in reply but recovered well to reach 67 for 2 wickets with opening batsman Primosh Perera shaping up for a long innings.
Sri Lanka Army Sports Club were well poised to take first innings points after they had bowled out Badureliya CC for just 179 runs on the opening day of their Premier League cricket encounter which began at Maggona today.
Badureliya CC who elected to bat first after winning the toss struggled throughout the innings to put a decent total on the board with Seekuge Prasanna, Nuwan Liyanapathirana and Shalika Karunanayake doing the damage.
Army SC then soon got their act together well in reply and raced to 135 for just 2 wickets Mohamed Feshal stroking an unbeaten 60 from 104 deliveries with the help of eight boundaries.
Former Sri Lanka all rounder Farveez Maharoof hammered a magnificent century to guide the NCC to a formidable first innings total of 332 runs on the opening day of their fixture against the Colts CC which commenced at Maitland Place today.
Maharoof hoisted four sixes and also struck six boundaries during his knock of 104 after the openers skipper Upul Tharanga and wicket keeper batsman Sandun Weerakkody had both completed excellent half centuries.
Two solid half centuries from former Sri Lanka batsman Indika de Saram and wicket keeper batsman Lasith Abeyratne helped the CCC to reach 282 for 9 wickets in their first innings on the opening day of their encounter against the Moors SC played at Maitland Crescent today.
Spinner Malinda Pushpakumara took the bowling honours for Moors SC with a superb five wicket haul and he was well supported by the opening bowler Dilhara Lokuhettige.
Meanwhile Sasheen Fernando was dismissed for 92 runs as Panadura SC struggled to reach 263 runs in their first innings on the opening day of their Premier League cricket encounter against Chilaw Marians SC which began at the Panadura Esplanade today.
