Colts and Ragama CC continued their winning spree when they chalked up their fourth successive win of the Premier limited over tournament with victories over Air Force and Panadura SC in the matches played at Reid Avenue and Surrey Village ground in Maggona yesterday.

Colts win against the Airmen was achieved with three balls to spare whilst chasing a modest score of 209 thanks to an unbroken 66 runs stand for the seventh wicket between skipper Dilruwan Perera and Ishan Jayaratne.

SSC opener Upul Bandara guides a Lahiru Gamage delivery to the rope, as his partner Dimuth Karunaratne seems to enjoy the shot. - Pic by Amila Gamage

The pair joined together when Colts was in dire straits having lost six wickets with the score on 149. They were left with 61 runs to get from 73 balls and some sensible batting by Dilruwan who made an unbeaten 56 inclusive of four boundaries and Ishan making 39 with a boundary and two sixes saw helped them reach the target.

Earlier in the day Air Force SC had fluctuated fortunes after being invited to bat first. They began in style with openers T. Nadeera and Sajith Kelumpriya giving them a flying start putting on 55 runs before they were separated.

Sajith added another valuable 45 runs stand for the second wicket with Achira Eranga before his innings ended having made a half ton which comprised three boundaries and two sixes. But they slid from 100 for 2 to 147 for 5 in the 37th before ending with a score of 208 which in the end proved to be insufficient to defend.

Ragama CC as expected had an easy passage at Maggona when they recorded a comfortable five wickets win over wooden spoonists Panadura SC. The match in fact was almost decided in the first session of play when Panadura SC, being sent into bat, were made to struggle for their runs from the start of their innings.

They lost their first wicket with just four runs on the board and then lost four more wickets for the addition of 49 runs before being bundled out for a paltry 134 runs.

Ragama CC in their run chase underwent some anxious moments and at one stage was tottering on 57 for 4. An unbeaten knock of 43 by Chanaka Wijesinghe who added 48 runs with skipper Sameera de Zoysa helped them reach the target in the 39th over.
NCC and Army both of whom won three matches on the trot met their Waterloo when they were beaten by Tamil Union and CCC in the

Air Force opener Achira Eranga drives against Colts - Pic by Ranjith Perera

matches played at P. Sara Stadium and CCC ground.

Tamil Union secured an eight runs win on the Duckworth/Lewis while CCC registered an easy 62 runs. Tamil Union’s run chase of 243 runs was halted due to bad light when they were on 281 for 6 having faced 46 overs. But the score was sufficient for their win on D/L method with the required target during stoppage being 211 runs.

CCC’s win was a morale boasting one as they came back with vengeance to get the better of the high riding Army SC side. CCC recovered after being in a bad position of 22 for 4 to make a score of 178.

Army SC in their run chase was let down by the late order batsmen as seven of them failed to reach double figures which saw them being bowled out for a meager 116. Right arm pacie Hasantha Fernando who ended with impressive figures of 5 for 21 did the damage.
SSC coasted to a convincing nine wicket win over Chilaw Marians in the match played at the SSC ground. The match turned out to be a one sided affair with the Marians being bundled out for a low score of 90 and the home side guided by an unbeaten 51 from Dimuth Karunaratne reaching the target in just 16.4 overs.

Opener Dilshan Munaweera’s 124 ball knock of 142 inclusive of 18 boundaries and three sixes laid the foundation for Bloomfield to record a comfortable 124 runs win over Moors SC in the match played at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Dilshan along with his opening partner Primosh Perera gave a flying start of 187 runs enabling them make a formidable score of 282 for 5. Later the Bloomfield bowling trio of Imran Khan, Nuwan Pradeep and skipper Suraj Randiv who together shared seven wickets combined to restrict Moors SC for a score of 158.

At Reid Avenue: Colts beat Air Force

Air Force SC 208 for 9 in 50 overs (Sajith Kelumpriya 50, Achira Eranga 34, T. Nadeera 21, Akila Isanka 18, Gihan Dilruk 15, Sahan Jayawardena 36 n.o.: Akila Dhananjaya 4 for 43, Sachith Pathirana 2 for 24)
Colts 214 for 6 in 49.3 overs (Roshen Silva 61, Ishan Muthaliph 34, Milinda Siriwardena 18, Dilruwan Perera 56 n.o., Ishan Jayaratne 36 n.o.: Lasanda Rukmal 2 for 48, Sahan Jayawardena 2 for 45)

At Maggona: Ragama beat Panadura

Panadura SC 134 in 43 overs (Amila Weththasinghe 23, Gihan Nimsara 19, Malith Gunasekera 19, Dhanuja Nandana 17, Nalin Vimukthi 16: Sajeewa Weerakoon 3 for 33, Lahiru Jayaratne 3 for 36, Alankara Asanka 2 for 16)

Ragama CC 137 for 5 in 38.2 overs (Michael Vandort 17, Alankara Asanka 15, Chanaka Wijesinghe 43 n.o., Sameera de Zoysa 19 n.o.: Koshan Dhanushka 3 for 28)

At P. Sara Oval: Tamil Union beat NCC

NCC 242 for 9 in 50 overs (Kosala Kulasekera 74, Niroshan Dickwella 37, Angelo Perera 34, Tharindu Kaushal 28, Upul Tharanga 26, Lahiru Madusanka 16: Nisala Tharaka 4 for 48, T.N. Sampath 2 for 24)

Tamil Union 218 for 6 in 46 overs (T.N. Sampath 61, Ashen Silva 54, Pabasara Waduge 28, Rumesh Buddika 24, Pulina Tharanga 19 n.o.: Chaminda Vidanapathirana 3 for 51)

At CCC: CCC beat Army

CCC 178 in 48.5 overs (Samin Kandanearachchi 43, Chathuranga Kumara 42, Maduka Liyanapathiranage 33, Shalika Karunanayake 27: Lasie Thabrew 3 for 53, Roshan Jayatissa 2 for 10, Janith Silva 2 for 41)

Army SC 116 in 36.4 overs (Lasie Thabrew 32, Rishan Kavinga 20, Mohamed Feshal 19, Manjula de Zoysa 16: Hasantha Fernando 5 for 21, Dulanjana Mendis 2 for 25)

At SSC: SSC beat Chilaw Marians

Chilaw Marians 90 in 26 overs (Umesh Karunaratne 22: Dhammika Prasad 3 for 24, Amil Prasad 2 for 16, Charith Jayampathi 2 for 23, Upul Bandara 2 for 24)

SSC 92 for 1 in 16.4 overs (Dimuth Karunaratne 51 n.o., Upul Bandara 16 n.o.)

At R. Premadasa Stadium

Bloomfield 282 for 5 in 50 overs (Dilshan Munaweera 142, Primosh Perera 64, Malinda Warnapura 22, Dilhan Cooray 24 n.o.)
Moors SC 158 in 37.3 overs (Isham Ghouse 49, Kaushalya Gajasinghe 39, Dilhara Lokuhettige 15: Imran Khan 3 for 29, Nuwan Pradeep 2 for 19, Suraj Randiv 2 for 30)