The 5th week of the SLC Major League Tournament 2022 began today (16th September) as 12 new matches kicked off as usual.
The opening day of the 12 games saw 7 tons being recorded and interestingly only one of them came in Group A. Top order batter for Ragama CC, Nishan Madushka continued to enjoy his purple patch reaching his 5th 100-plus score of the tournament in just his 8th innings. His knock of 125 and skipper Janith Liyanage’s 71 against Police SC helped them finish day 1 on a high with 307 runs on the board losing just 4 wickets.
The current table-toppers of Group A, Moors SC and CCC locked horns at Moors Grounds as the hosts took advantage of day 1 limiting the strong batting lineup of CCC for a modest 249. In reply, the home boys were on 35 for no loss after 11 overs.
Looking at the noteworthy bowling performances in Group A, it was once again the in-form leg-spinner Indian Raghu Sharma (Galle CC) and the ambidextrous Tharindu Ratnayake (Sebastianites C & AC) who claimed 5-wicket hauls for their respective teams. The duo also recorded figures of 7 wickets in an innings in their previous games.
Read : Dilum Sudeera’s 10-fer guides Tamil Union to win
The SSC vs BRC game saw the return of Charith Asalanka to the domestic arena as he scored a much-needed 44 for SSC. Asalanka who was part of the Sri Lankan squad which won the recently concluded Asia Cup in UAE had a horrific tournament with 4 straight failures. However, he has been retained for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia and will be hoping to use this domestic tournament to get some useful runs to regain his lost form.
GROUP A
Police SC vs Ragama CC at Police Grounds, Colombo
- Toss: Police
Ragama CC – 307/4 (90) Nishan Madushka 125, Janith Liyanage 71, Saminda Fernando 44, Avishka Tharindu 23*, Supun Madushanka 2/49
Stumps Day 1
Moors SC vs CCC at Moors Grounds, Colombo
- Toss: CCC
CCC – 249 (76.4) Lasith Abeyratne 73, Kamindu Mendis 59, Minod Bhanuka 41, Praveen Jayawickrama 3/71, Milan Rathnayake 2/24, Tilanga Udeshana 2/29, Theesan Vithushan 2/52
Moors SC – 35/0 (11) Pabasara Waduge 27*
Stumps Day 1 – Moors trail by 214 runs
Galle CC vs Kalutara TC at Galle International Cricket Stadium
- Toss: Kalutara
Kalutara TC – 190 (51.2) Kosala Ravindu 75, Sawan Kankanamge 37, Raghu Sharma 5/52
Galle CC – 158/3 (38) Sameen Kandanearachchi 71, Vinura Dulsara 45*, Tharindu Siriwardene 2/27
Stumps Day 1 – Galle trail by 32 runs
Sebastianites C & AC vs Kurunegala Youth CC at SLAOCIC Stadium, Dombagoda
Toss: Kurunegala Youth
Kurunegala Youth CC – 239 (83.3) Asantha Basnayake 61, Randeera Ranasinghe 48, Gayan Maneeshan 40, Dinushka Malan 32, Dhanushka Dharmasiri 27, Lahiru Jayaratne 23*, Tharindu Ratnayake 5/93
Sebastianites C & AC – 13/0 (9) Sacha De Alwis 11*
Stumps Day 1 – Sebastianites trail by 226 runs
BRC vs SSC at BRC Grounds, Colombo
- Toss: BRC
SSC – 354/9 (96.3) Nuwanidu Fernando 72, Kavindu Nadeeshan 70*, Nipun Dananjaya 54, Charith Asalanka 44, Prabath Jayasuriya 30, Roshen Silva 25, Duvindu Tillakaratne 3/69, Dushan Hemantha 3/97, Umeshka Morais 2/33
Stumps Day 1
Colts CC vs Lankan CC at Colts Grounds, Colombo
- Toss: Lankan
Lankan CC – 228/5 (90) Kasun Abeyrarhne 65*, Deshan Dias 61, Shehan Fernando 36, Geeth Kumara 26, Dunith Wellalage 3/39
Stumps Day 1
Unlike Group A, Group B saw a lot of runs being scored including 6 individual tons. Air Force SC had an absolute run-fest in Panadura as they scored 438 runs on the opening day. Following opener Udayawansha Parakarama’s 119 at the top, hard-hitting middle order batter Movin Subasinghe teased the Panadura bowlers with a knock of 114 in just 75 balls including 12 sixes and 5 fours.
Army SC also saw two centurions in their game against Badureliya CC as their opener Thulina Dilshan and middle-order batter Shehan Fernando recorded scores of 111 and 116* respectively. The two brilliant knocks helped Army finish day 1 on 342/5.
Negombo CC had a great outing against NCC’s star-studded bowling attack at Katunayake as they scored a good first innings score of 340/9 at the end of day 1. Angelo Jayasinghe remained unbeaten on 113 while Indian batter Jatin Saxena scored 111.
The third 5-wicket haul of the day was recorded by former Prince of Wales skipper Suwath Mendis as his leg-spin helped Nugegoda S & WC restrict Navy SC for 180 in the first innings. Debutant Abisheak Liyanarachchi’s 60 helped Nugegoda finish day 1 on 112/2 trailing behind Navy by just 68 runs.
GROUP B
Panadura SC vs Air Force SC at Panadura Esplanade
Toss: Air Force
Air Force SC – 438/9 (84.1) Udayawansha Parakrama 119, Movin Subasingha 114, Madushan Ravichandrakumar 58*, Kalana Wijesiri 37, Supeshala Jayathilaka 35, Adithya Siriwardana 27, Iwanka Sanjula 3/87, Nimesh Vimukthi 3/151, Tharindu Kaushal 2/59
Stumps Day 1
Army SC vs Badureliya CC at Army Grounds, Panagoda
- Toss: Badureliya
Army SC – 342/5 (88) Shehan Fernando 116*, Thulina Dilshan 111, Gihan Koralage 45*, Chalana De Silva 2/67
Stumps Day 1
Negombo CC vs NCC at BOI Grounds, Katunayake
- Toss: Negombo
Negombo CC – 340/9 (90) Angelo Jayasinghe 113*, Jatin Saxena 111, Ashen Silva 25, Lasith Embuldeniya 4/126, Ashian Daniel 2/62
Stumps Day 1
Nugegoda S & WC vs Navy SC at De Zoysa Stadium, Moratuwa
- Toss: Nugegoda
Navy SC – 180 (48.5) Adeesha Nanayakkara 93, Malinga Maligaspe 30, Supun Leelaratne 28, Suwath Mendis 5/49, Sahan Nanayakkara 4/66
Nugegoda S & WC – 112/2 (41) Abisheak Liyanarachchi 60, Nayana Fernando 46*
Stumps Day 1 – Nugegoda trail by 68 runs
Chilaw Marians CC vs Ace Capital CC at RPIC Stadium, Colombo
- Toss: Ace Capital
Ace Capital CC – 282/9 (92) Roshan Jayatissa 73, Swapnil Anil 63, Thanuka Dabare 62, Sachindu Colombage 38*, Lasith Lakshan 4/65, Rajinda Punchihewa 2/20
Stumps Day 1
Tamil Union C & AC vs Saracens SC at P. Sara Oval, Colombo
- Toss: Saracens
Saracens SC – 253 (87) Sithara Gimhan 89, Navindu Vithanage 66, Mohammad Waqas 32, Shiran Fernando 4/33, Raveen De Silva 4/53
Tamil Union C & AC – 10/0 (1) Navod Paranavithana 10*
Stumps Day 1 – Tamil Union trail by 243 runs
All 12 games will resume tomorrow for the second day’s play.
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