Nondescripts clinch title on first-innings lead

Nondescripts Cricket Club 420 (Gunathilleke 104, Dahanayake 82, Gangoda 53, USM Fernando 5-118) and 247 (Pussegolla 85, Gangoda 54, USM Fernando 6-115) drew with Sinhalese Sports Club 290 (Karunanayake 111, SH Fernando 78, Kulasekara 3-38) and 82 for 3
Scorecard

Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) gave their coach, Samath Perera, a fitting farewell by winning the Under-23 Youth Tournament Division 1. NCC beat defending champions Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in the three-day final played at the SSC in Colombo.

The match ended in a draw, but NCC won as they had gained a first-innings lead. SSC scored 290 in reply to NCC's 420. They finished the match at 82 for 3 from nine overs in the second innings chasing 378.

Put in to bat, NCC had the game all but sewn up when they finished at 368 for 7 by the end of the first day. The innings was dominated by Hashan Gunathilleke, who scored 104 off 204 balls. Opener Demintha Dahanayake made 82, and strong batting from the late order pushed the total from 278 for 6 to 420. SSC lost their openers with only six runs on the board, but never recovered despite a 111 from Shalika Karunanayake. At the end of the third day, they could total only 290 and the final day was only of academic interest as NCC batted a second time without enforcing the follow-on. Left-arm spinner Milan Fernando took 11 wickets for SSC.

Coach Perera, a former NCC player, ended his four-year stint with NCC on a winning note. "We lost eight of our top players from last year as they were overage and I had to handle a totally inexperienced side," Perera said. "We lost our first match to Air Force and the game against Kurunegala YCC was washed out. Despite all these shortcomings the boys worked hard to achieve this success." Perera leaves NCC to undertake a new post as coach of one of Kandy's leading schools Trinity College on a two-year contract.