A career best five wicket haul from off-spinner Umesh Karunaratne and a maiden century by Geeth Kumara saw Chilaw Marians registering their first win in the ongoing Premier League Cricket against Moors at Moors grounds today.
Chilaw Marians who scored 283 all out beat host by 19 runs (Duckworth and Lewis method).
Off spinner Karunaratne bowled a threatening spell which included two in two in the second over sending Moors openers back for just nine runs in hefty chase.
With two down for nine runs with a mountain to climb Moors sent in hard-hitting all rounder Chathuranga de Silva where he smashed a cameo 50 off 20 balls with three sixes and seven fours. Skipper Dilhara Lokuhettige with shared 65 for the seventh wicket as he scored 40 runs off 30 balls leaving his side 68 runs to win in 11 overs. However Moors lost their eighth wicket just before match was stopped due to bad light.
Geeth Kumara smashed 102 runs from 92 balls inclusive of five sixes and nine fours.
Moors spinners Malinda Pushpakumara (4-53) and Shehan Jayasuriya removed Chilaw top order in no time leaving them at 37-3 when skipper Geeth Kumara and Umesh Karunaratne added 85 runs for the fourth wicket.
After Karunaratne was dismissed for 38 Kumara joined Buddi Samarawickerama and added 70 runs for the fifth wicket. Saliya Saman hit a valuable 43 down the order from 34 balls including four sixes.
Left arm spinner Chathuranga de Silva, finished with three wickets each.
Chilaw 283 (49.4 overs) (Geeth Kumara 102, Umesh Karunaratne 38, Buddi Samarawickrame 30, Saliya Saman 43, Kanchana Gunawardane 21; Malinda Pushpakumara 4/53,Chathuranga de Silva 3/68)
Moors 215-7 (39 overs) (Chathuranga de Silva 50, Dilhara Lokuhettige 40 n.o, Janaka Gunaratne 34, Oshada Fernando 32, Isham Ghouse 26; Umesh Karunaratne 5-49)
