Five SLC Premier League Tier A Tournament 2016/17 matches were conducted yesterday (3rd December) in Colombo and its suburbs.
NCC vs Bloomfield
NCC opening batsman Niroshan Dickwella clobbered his 9th first-class century to give early advantage over Bloomfield in their game which commenced today at Maitland Place.
In encouraging news, Dinesh Chandimal, Sri Lanka Vice-Captain and rookie seamer Dushmantha Chameera returned to competitive cricket from this game to prove match fitness ahead of the South African tour.
After being sent into bat, the left-handed opening duo, Sandun Weerakkody and Niroshan Dickwella blasted the Bloomfield bowling to all parts of the ground smashing 125 for the first wicket in just 17.2 overs. Weerakkody fell for a 63-ball 64 but Dickwella continued his massacre along with senior statesman, Jehan Mubarak who made 42.
Photos : NCC v Bloomfield C & AC – Premier League Tournament 2016/2017
Dickwella took only 155 balls for his magnificent 183 which had glorious 23 boundaries and a six. Chandimal’s innings lasted only 17 deliveries as he was dismissed for just 3 runs by left-arm spinner Malith Mahela who went on to bag 5 wickets but could not restrict the hosts from posting a mammoth score of 443 for 9 declared. Experienced Upul Tharanga and skipper Farveez Maharoof also chipped in with 61 and 67 respectively.
Bloomfield in reply had to face four deadly overs from two of the fastest seamers in Sri Lanka, Lahiru Kumara and Dushmantha Chameera but Sacha De Alwis and former Ananda College captain Nisal Fransisco managed to hold fort.
NCC – 443/9 declared in 84 overs: Niroshan Dickwella 183, Sandun Weerakkody 64, Jehan Mubarak 42, Upul Tharanga 61, Farveez Maharoof 67, Malith Mahela 5/83, Lahiru Fernando 2/72.
Bloomfield – 9 for no loss in 4 overs: Nisal Fransisco 5*.
SSC vs Tamil Union
Former Trinity College captain Dinuk Wickramanayake made a dashing, unbeaten 81 for Tamil Union against Sinhalese Sports Club on day two at P. Sara Oval Grounds.
Photos : SSC Vs Tamil Union – Premier League Tournament 2016/2017
SSC resuming from their overnight score of 375 for 5 went onto score 503 with both the overnight batsmen, Charith Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka scoring half-centuries. Jeffrey Vandersay made a 74-ball 48 down the order to push the score above 500. In reply, Tamil Union ended day two on 171/2. Right-handed opening batsman, Wickramanayake made 12 fours during his 127-ball 81 while number 3 batsman Tharanga Paranavithana scored 66.
SSC – 503 all out in 127.4 overs: Dimuth Karunarathne 149, Kaushal Silva 28, Danushka Gunathilaka 117, Charith Asalanka 57, Dasun Shanaka 51, Jeffrey Vandersay 48*, Chamika Karunarathne 2/104, Pulina Tharanga 2/67, Disnaka Manoj 2/67.
Tamil Union – 171/2 in 48 overs: Dinuk Wickramanayake 81*, Tharanga Paranavithana 66.
SL Army vs BRC
Sri Lanka Army SC gained much needed first-innings points against the newly-promoted Burgher Recreation Club on day two in their game at Army Grounds in Panagoda.
Asela Gunarathne managed only 12 runs in the morning to his overnight score before he became seamer Vikum Bandara’s 6th scalp as the Soldiers were bowled out for 316. BRC in reply were bundled out for just 219 runs as leg-break bowler Viraj Pushpakumara captured 4 wickets.
Captain Rumesh Buddhika top-scored for the visitors with a fine knock of 92 off 155 deliveries while Lisula Lakshan making his first-class debut scored 60 at the top of the order. After gaining a 97-run lead in the first essay, Army lost two wickets in their second innings for just 16 runs.
SL Army – 316 all out in 98.1 overs: Lakshitha Madushan 67, Manjula De Zoysa 25, Kasun De Silva 32, Asela Gunarathne 158, Vikum Sanjaya 6/73, Dinuka Hettiarachchi 3/98.
BRC – 219 all out in 67.4 overs: Lisula Lakshan 60, Rumesh Buddhika 92, Viraj Pushpakumara 4/57, Lakshan Madushanka 2/51, Sanjika Ridma 2/10.
SL Army (2nd Inn) – 16/2 in 10 overs: Viraj Pushpakumara 12*.
CCC vs Saracens
CCC bowling attack restricted the strong Saracens batting lineup cheaply to gain the lead in their game on day two at Maitland Crescent.
Resuming from 101 for 3, the Saracens middle order failed miserably to the pace-spin combination of Lahiru Gamage, Lahiru Madushanka, Sachith Pathirana and Lakshan Sandakan as they were restricted to 173 in reply to CCC’s first innings score of 195.
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In the second innings, the hosts propelled by Wanindu Hasaranga’s second 50+ score managed to post 208 setting a victory target of 231 for the visitors. Left-arm spinner Chathura Randunu grabbed a five-wicket haul for Saracens but they lost 2 wickets in the dying stages of day two in their run chase.
CCC – 195 all out in 52.2 overs: Kusal Mendis 27, Sachith Pathirana 59, Wanindu Hasaranga 52, Kasun Rajitha 6/59, Suraj Randiv 2/53.
Saracens – 173 all out in 52 overs: Irosh Samarasuriya 69, Denuwan Rajakaruna 29, Lahiru Gamage 3/38, Lahiru Madushanka 2/41, Sachith Pathirana 2/45, Lakshan Sandakan 3/38.
CCC (2nd inn) – 208 all out in 46.3 overs: Wanindu Hasaranga 64, Lasith Abeyrathne 34, Sachith Pathirana 33, Chathura Randunu 5/66, Mohommad Dilshad 2/30, Suraj Randiv 3/33.
Saracens (2nd inn) – 25/2 in 8 overs: Harsha Cooray 13*.
Chilaw Marians vs Badureliya
Left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara grabbed his 34th first-class five-wicket haul to help Chilaw Marians take the upper hand over Badureliya on day two at FTZ grounds in Katunayake.
Badureliya chasing 236 runs for a first innings win was bowled out for just 113 as Pushpakumara took 6 for 41 while off-spinner Maduka Liyanapathiranage took 4 for 28. With a lead of 122, Chilaw Marians managed to add another 196 runs as they lead the game by 318 currently. Captain Mahela Udawatte scored his second half-century for the hosts.
Chilaw Marians – 235 all out in 79.3 overs: Mahela Udawatte 69, Sachithra Serasinghe 34, Kasun Vidura 33, Rukshan Fernando 33, Alankara Asanka 5/102, Nuwan Karunarathne 3/35.
Badureliya – 113 all out in 44 overs: Shehan Fernando 25, Matheesha Perera 24, Malinda Pushpakumara 6/41, Maduka Liyanapathiranage 4/28.
Chilaw Marians (2nd Inn) – 196/5 in 51 overs: Mahela Udawatte 73, Kasun Vidura 45, Alankara Asanka 2/74.
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