The NCC took firm control of their Premier League tournament Super Eight match against Ragama CC on the second day at the Moors ground in Braybrooke Place today.
NCC v Ragama CC
At the close Ragama CC were struggling at 63 for 4 in their second innings still trailing NCC by a massive 166 runs with two days left.
Earlier in the day NCC replying to Ragama CC’s 164 in the first innings made an imposing 393 as middle order batsman Farvez Maharoof struck a belligerent 75 with 10 fours and two sixes.
But Maharoof’s team-mate Jehan Mubarak was unfortunate not to be the second century maker in the innings as he was dismissed for 97 runs when leg spinner Malinga Bandara took a return catch to dismiss him.
Mubarak hit 11 fours and two sixes in making his runs after opener Niroshan Dikwella made 128 with 11 fours and four sixes virtually tearing the bowlers apart.
Ragama CC ended the day on a very gloomy note after losing the cream of their top order batting and the task to save them has fallen on the shoulders of the veteran batsman Ian Daniel and Asanka Alankara Silva the last two recognized batsman at the crease.
Daniel struggled to make five runs from 29 balls and it will take a mountain for him to climb to save face for his team-mates at Ragama CC who blew off the game in the first innings.
SSC v Moors
At the NCC grounds in Maitland Place SSC ended the day at 142 for 2 with Dimuth Karunaratne making 75 after Moors went on to pile up 437 in their first innings.
For Moors SC Kaushalya Gajasinghe made a painstaking 109 not out from as many as 197 balls with 10 fours to anchor the innings and keep his team afloat.
SSC opener Karunaratne hit eight fours in his 75 but his team will need to bat well to overhaul the first innings total of Moors SC who looked to be in firm control of the contest with two days remaining.
SL Ports v Army SC
Meanwhile Sri Lanka Ports Authority CC were in firm control of their match against Army SC who were struggling at 37 for 1 in their second innings, still needing 244 more runs to make the opponents bat again.
Earlier Army were bowled out for 119 in reply to Ports Authority’s massive 400 runs in the first innings.
Gayan Maneeshan and Mahela Udawtte made scores of 91 and 97 respectively as Ports authority piled up the runs.
Colts v Tamil Union
At the Colts ground Tamil Union were 89 for no loss, still trailing CCC by 30 runs with ten wickets left as opener Pabasara Waduge was unbeaten on 55.
Earlier CCC made 334 in reply to Tamil Union’s 215 as Maduka Liyanapathirage top scored with 81.
Bloomfield v Badureliya
Elsewhere Bloomfield and Badureliya featured in a very low scoring match at the Air Force grounds in Katunayake.
Bloomfield after being bundled out for 100 in their first innings were 35 for two wickets at the close. That was after Bloomfield was shot out for 98 in their first innings.
For Badureliya CC part-time bowler Andy Solomons became an unlikley hero with the ball as he plucked four scalps for just 17 runs in Bloomfield’s first essay.
But he failed with the bat for Badureliya for just 11 runs in total of 98.
Colts v Panadura
In another match Colts were 38 for one wicket after Panadura were skittled out for 207 as Dilruwan Perera picked up six wickets for 55 runs.
Sudesh Umayangana top scored for Panadura with 61.
Chilaw Marians v Air Force
Chilaw Marians reached 328 for 6 in their match against the Air Force at the Surrey grounds in Maggona with middle order batsman Sahan Wijeratne contributing 123.
Wijeratne struck 17 fours and one six in making his ton for the Chilaw Marians.
