BRC dominate NCC as Bhanuka hits twin centuries

Seven matches of the Super 8s and Plate Championship of the Sri Lanka Cricket(SLC) Premier League Tier A Tournament concluded earlier this week. This was the second set of games after the Tournament resumed after a long break on the 10th of August due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Super 8s

Milinda Siriwardana fought a lone battle for Saracens SC, as he made sure his team secured vital first innings points over the favorites to win the tournament, CCC. After Kasun Rajitha’s five wicket burst restricted CCC to 142 in their 1st innings, Siriwardana Made 89 before following it up with 151 in the second innings as the match ended in a draw. Lasith Abeyratne made an unbeaten century for CCC in their second essay, while Rajitha finished with 9 wickets in the match.

Ragama CC who suffered an innings defeat a few days back at the hands of CCC, bounced back to beat Colts by 103 runs at the CCC ground in Colombo. Young left arm spinner Shashika Dulshan was the star of the game for Ragama CC, as he captured six first innings wickets to set up the game for his team. Akila Dananjaya bowling with a remodeled action captured 8 wickets in the match.

Two whirlwind knocks from BRC’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa against the formidable NCC, was the highlight of the drawn game in Katunayake. Rajapaksa hit 115 off just 82 balls in the 1st innings as BRC managed to secure 1st innings points, before following it up with a match saving century in the 2nd innings. Duvindu Tillakaratne, the tournament’s highest wicket taker with 56 scalps, also starred with a match bag of 13 wickets.

Ashan Randika hit a scintillating 133 off 84 balls, but it wasn’t enough as the soldiers were beaten by Chilaw Marians by 45 runs at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo. Nimesh Vimuthi’s 4/23 in the Army SC’s second innings sparked a dramatic collapse, as he also captured the key scalp of Randika.

Brief scores:

CCC vs Saracens SC

CCC 142 (40.4): Minod Bhanuka 92 (122), Kasun Rajitha 5/63, Saliya Saman 3/33 & 351/7d (81): Lasith Abeyratne 101* (170), Lahiru Madushanka 63 (81), Kasun Rajitha 4/84

Saracens SC 183 (49.3): Milinda Siriwardana 89 (88), Lahiru Gamage 5/29, Vishwa Fernando 3/37 & 283/6 (81): Milinda Siriwardena 151 (180), Pramod Maduwantha 54 (160), Vishwa Fernando 3/38

Ragama CC vs Colts CC

Ragama CC 258 (63): Saminda Fernando 73 (93), Nishan Madushka 57 (75), Akila Dhananjaya 4/24, Prabath Jayasuriya 3/76 & 220 (65.2): Roshen Silva 67 (111), Lahiru Thirimanne 63 (142), Prabath Jayasuriya 5/69, Akila Dhananjaya 4/44

Colts CC 163 (57.3): Santhush Gunathilaka 33 (80), Shashika Dulshan 6/45 & 212 (55.5): Sadeera Samarawickrama 69 (128), Avishka Fernando 44 (58), Kalhara Senaratne 3/28, Ishan Jayaratne 3/31, Amila Aponso 3/48

BRC vs NCC

BRC 316 (86.3): Bhanuka Rajapaksa 115 (82), Duvindu Tillakaratne 53 (108), Ashian Daniel 4/63, Lahiru Kumara 2/63 & 240 (58.5): Bhanuka Rajapaksa 110 (98), Lahiru Kumara 4/76, Dilesh Gunaratne 2/21, Chamika Karunaratne 2/37

NCC 275 (65.2): Chamika Karunaratne 93, Lahiru Udara 90, Duvindu Tillakaratne 6/63 & 227/9 Lahiru Udara 93(64), Duvindu Tillakaratne 7/55

Chilaw Marians CC vs SL Army SC

Chilaw Marians CC 269 (82.3): Shehan Jayasuriya 95 (147), Asela Gunaratne 3/37, Dushan Vimukthi 3/90 & 241 (63): Kasun Vidura 73* (106),  Seekkuge Prasanne 6/101

SL Army SC 216 (70): Dinesh Chandimal 62 (99), Asela Gunaratne 43* (99), Asitha Fernando 4/71 & 249 (36.3): Ashan Randika 133 (84), Nimesh Vimukthi 4/23, Shehan Jayasuriya 4/66

Plate Championship

Praveen Jayawickrama’s 11 wickets in the match helped Moors SC topple a star studded Tamil Union side at Moratuwa. Sri Lanka all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva played out of his skin capturing 12 wickets in the match to go along with an unbeaten 95* in the 1st innings, but it was not enough to push his team to the finish line.

SSC continued to fall into deep waters as they were this time beaten by Lankan CC, who were well led by their in-form skipper Chanaka Ruwansiri. Following on from his century in the previous round against Negombo CC, Ruwansiri hit 165 overshadowing Dasun Shanaka’s century, as Lankan CC collected 1st innings points.

Table toppers in the Plate Championship after the previous round Negombo CC were pushed to 2nd place in the table, but not before they secured another comfortable 1st innings win over Baduraliya SC. Dilshan Munaweera was the star with the bat for Negombo top scoring with 91, while Upul Indrasiri captured 10 wickets in the match. Dushan Hemantha also hit a 2nd innings century for Baduraliya, as he made sure they avoided an outright loss.

Moors SC vs Tamil Union CAC

Moors SC 206 (71.2) Nipun Karunanayake 44 (100), Dinuka Dilshan 43 (108), Dhananjaya de Silva 7/59 & 171 (46.1)Pabasara Waduge 44 (43), Kavishka Anjula 43 (69), Ayana Siriwardena 42 (38), Dhanajaya de Silva 5/50

Tamil Union C&AC 178 (52) Dhananjaya de Silva 95* (104), Praveen Jayawickrama 5/53, Ramesh Mendis 3/39 & 155 (36.3) Suranga Lakmal 40 (20), Praveen Jayawickrama 6/91

SSC vs Lankan CC

SSC 332 (76.2) Dasun Shanaka 112 (144), Sammu Ashan 54 (86), Chanaka Ruwansiri 3/53, Keshan Wijerathne 3/93, Dunith Wellalage 3/97 & 226/4 (48) Sandun Weerakkody 67 (55), Nuwanindu Fernando 45 (71), Geeth Kumara 3/49

Lankan CC 375 Chanaka Ruwansiri 165(201), Geeth Kumara 60 (193), Kalana Perera 3/54, Jeffry Vandersay 5/117

Badureliya SC vs Negombo CC

Badureliya SC 267 (84.5) Dunith Jayathunga 57, Salinda Ushan 51, Damith Perera 43, Upul Indrasiri 5/65, Lakshitha Rasanjana 3/65 & 276 (69.1) Dushan Hemantha 115 (112), Dunith Jayathunga 48 (60), Upul Indrasiri 5/85, Lakshitha Rasanjana 5/97

Negombo CC 381 (105.2)

Dilshan Munaweera 91 (144), Madawa Warnapura 87 (141), Angelo Jayasinghe 66 (96), Roscoe Thattil 33(80), Dushan Hemantha 4/82, Buddika Sanjeewa 2/84