Sri Lanka: Premier Championship Review (28 January 1999)
Moors SC continued their roller-coaster ride in the Premier championships with their fourth successive victory (3 outright) in as many matches to pull ahead of their nearest rivals Bloomfield by almost 17 points
28-Jan-1999
28 January 1999
Sri Lanka: Premier Championship Review
Sa'adi Thawfeeq
Moors continue roller-coaster ride with yet another win
Moors SC continued their roller-coaster ride in the Premier
championships with their fourth successive victory (3 outright) in as
many matches to pull ahead of their nearest rivals Bloomfield by
almost 17 points.
In another thrilling encounter Moors repeated their one-wicket
success of the previous weekend over BRC with a similar result
against SSC last week.
Both matches went down to the wire and provided heart stopping
finishes. By coming successfully out these two contests, Moors have
proved they are made of steely stuff which should make other teams
wary. The table leaders will face a stern test when they are involved
in a top of the table clash with Bloomfield at Reid Avenue this
weekend.
Moors' success could largely be attributed to the leadership
qualities of ex-Sri Lanka and Tamil Union cricketer Chandika
Hathurusingha. By leading from the front, Hathurusingha has moulded
the team into a superb fighting unit. He top scored in both innings
with 41 and 45 and also chipped in with three useful wickets in the
SSC second innings.
The defending champs having conceded first innings points, tried to
make a match of it by staging a spirited fightback in the second
innings, but they were thwarted by the Moors' tail. They played
themselves into winning positions twice, but it was not to be their
day. On both occasions Moors fought back to wrest the initiative away
- from 30 for 3 and again from 122 for 7.
Rangana Herath who performed well with the ball against BRC,
displayed a cool head in a tight situation to steer Moors through
with an undefeated 26. In this low scoring contest, SSC batsman
Shantha Kalavitigoda's innings of 63 was the only score over fifty.
Their fast-medium bowler Dilhara Fernando returned career best
figures of 6 for 33 (match bag of 8).
In another low scoring game, Bloomfield took first innings points
from Colts to keep a close trail on the table leaders. Bloomfield's
chances of going for full points were spoilt when rain prevented any
play on the first day. The match began on the second day and in the
restricted time frame, Bloomfield did well enough to defend their
moderate total of 166 superbly by dismissing Colts for a rather
disappointing 106.
No batsmen made more than 46 from either side. Bloomfield's leg-spin
cum pace combination of Priyankara Wickremasinghe and Pulasthi
Gunaratne once again proved unplayable, the pair taking seven wickets
between them.
The weekend also provided two shock results, when fancied teams CCC
and Sebastianites both suffered defeats. BRC ended their barren run
for the season by pulling off a stunning five wickets win over CCC.
Having conceded first innings points, BRC came storming back to
successfully challenge the total of 187 set for an outright victory.
Their match-winner was the hard hitting burly cricketer Duminda
Perera. He batted with great flair to contribute more than fifty
percent of his team's first innings total of 111 by making 61 and
then figured prominently in the run chase by slamming four sixes and
seven fours in a blazing knock of 75. It was Perera's liaison with
Indika Batuwitarachchi (85) of 148 runs for the fifth wicket that
turned the game on its head.
C. Mudalige and and former Moors cricketer Riyaz Farook played their
part in keeping CCC to moderate totals with four wickets apiece in
either innings, but the stellar roles were played by Duminda and
Indika.
For CCC, lanky paceman Indika Gallage continued to impress with yet
another good spell which fetched him figures of 6 for 37 in the first
innings.
An opening partnership of 176 between Nishantha Munasinghe (84) and
Senadi Malweewella (79) sustained by an equally good knock of 92 from
Roshan Jaymon set up Kurunegala YCC's imposing total of 409 for 9
declared. Sebastianites who have the highest total of the season -
462 for 6 to their credit, failed to produce anything close to that
performance and were on the verge of forcing a no-decision when last
man Chaminda Francis was dismissed in the final over of the match.
Sebastianites totalled 256. Only in form opener T.M. Dilshan and
all-rounder Marlon Peiris contributed anything of note making
half-centuries apiece, the rest of the batting were consumed by the
spin of Ranjit Madurasinghe and skipper Ajith Ekanayake.
Panadura SC were another team to come from behind and snatch an
outright win after conceding first innings points. Panadura atoned
for their dismal first innings batting performance (158 all out) by
successfully chasing the target of 297 off 44 overs set by Galle CC.
That Panadura were able to score a runaway victory was primarily due
to the batting of Sri Lanka under 19 poolist and junior World Cup
cricketer Chamara Silva. He blazed away to the fastest century of the
season off 88 balls making 60 of those runs in boundaries, and
figured in two match-winning partnerships of 141 for the third wicket
with Manjula Silva (62) and one of 76 for the fourth with skipper
Kapila Silva (76) to see Panadura home with two balls to spare.
Galle CC had only the fine batting double (45 and 101 n.o.off 140
balls) of former CCC and Tamil Union left-hander Varuna Waragoda and
the leg-spin bowling of Gamini Perera (5/38) to feel happy about.
NCC too (like BRC) ended their poor run, with a first innings points
win over Tamil Union. This victory left Tamil Union, Matara SC and
Police SC as the only three clubs without a single win this season.
Anil Rideegammanagedera, an useful all-rounder to have in any team
played the stellar role in NCC's victory contributing a fine 88 and
then following it up with an impressive spell of seam bowling to
capture four wickets. He was well supported by former Sri Lanka
all-rounder Ruwan Kalpage who also finished with a similar haul.
Mark Fernando's match bag of eight wickets proved fruitless as
Antonians lost on the first innings to Singha SC in their match
played at the Air Force grounds, Katunayake. For Singha it was there
second win in successive weekends following their victory over Police
a fortnight back.
Premier Championship Standings
The following are the Premier Championship standings at the
completion of the fourth weekend of matches on Jan 24.
P WOR W1st LOR L1st ND Btng Bwlg Pts Moors SC 4 3 1 0 0 0 6.390 6.7 57.090 Bloomfield 4 1 2 0 0 1 6.930 5.3 40.230 Panadura SC 4 1 1 0 1 1 8.790 4.8 33.590 SSC 4 0 2 1 1 0 8.265 7.4 31.665 Galle CC 4 1 1 1 0 1 5.555 6.0 31.555 Sebastianites 4 1 1 0 1 1 6.495 4.6 31.095 CCC 4 0 2 1 0 1 5.825 6.2 28.025 Kurunegala YCC 4 0 2 1 0 1 4.800 4.5 25.300 Singha SC 4 0 2 0 1 1 5.455 3.4 24.855 BRC 4 1 0 2 1 0 6.430 6.2 24.630 Antonian SC 4 1 0 1 1 1 5.880 4.6 22.480 NCC 4 0 1 1 1 1 6.490 4.6 19.090 Colts 4 0 1 0 2 1 5.200 5.3 18.500 Tamil Union 4 0 0 0 3 1 6.300 3.4 9.700 Matara SC 3 0 0 1 1 1 3.110 3.4 6.510 Police SC 3 0 0 0 2 1 3.225 2.3 5.525
(Subject to confirmation)
HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL INNINGS: 203 (n.o.) - Hemantha Wickremaratne, SSC v
Tamil Union at Maitland Place on Jan. 10.
FASTEST CENTURY: 88 balls - Chamara Silva, Panadura SC v Galle CC at
Panadura Stadium on Jan. 24.
BEST INNINGS ANALYSIS: 8/75 - Erik Upashantha, Colts v CCC at Maitland
Place on Jan. 10.
BEST MATCH ANALYSIS: 11/108 - Rangana Herath, Moors SC v BRC at
Havelock Park on Jan. 16.
HIGHEST INNINGS TOTAL: 462/6 decl. - Sebastianites v Singha SC at De
Soysa Stadium on Jan. 9.
LOWEST INNINGS TOTAL: 88 - Antonian SC v Galle CC at Galle Stadium on
Jan. 17.
Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)