SSC, Colts, Ragama CC, Chilaw Marians move into semi-finals

Premier cricket Quarter-finals

Dinesh Weerawansa

CRICKET: Two promising clubs outside Colombo city - Ragama CC and Chilaw Marians, will be joined by SSC and Colts CC in the semifinal line up of this weekend's Sri Lanka Cricket conducted inter-club Premier League tournament.

The four clubs won their respective four-day quarter-final matches concluded in Colombo yesterday. In a dramatic turn up of events, two leading clubs CCC and BRC lost their respective quarter-finals to the two up and coming new clubs.

CCC suffered a humiliating 131-run defeat at the hands of Chilaw Marians at Colts grounds. Resuming their second innings at 160 for 5, Chilaw Marians went on to make 311 all out with Prasad Jayasundara making a top score of 61.

Chasing a victory target of 354, the Maitland Crescent club's batsmen were never on their target in making 222 all out. Only Nisal Randika and Ganganath Ratnayake, who made half centuries, showed some resistance as medium paceman Janaka Gunaratne registered a match winning figures of 6 for 76.

Ragama CC batsmen went on to prove their reliability for the second time of their match against BRC. Having made 359 all out in the first innings, they batted the entire second day to make 396 for 6 at close at Katunayake.

The day belonged to top order bat Indika de Saram who followed his first innings century with another fluent 96 as Ragama CC beat BRC on the first innings. De Saram was well supported by Dushantha Ranatunga (88) and Kaushalya Weeraratne (60).

Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Suraj Mohammed and C. Jayaweera shared bowling honours as SSC bowled out Tamil Union for 101 in the second innings to post a five-wicket win at Premadasa Stadium.

Jeevantha Kulatunga (3 for 49) and Sajith Fernando (4 for 4) shared bowling honours as Colts crushed Bloomfield by ten wickets at Moors grounds.

In the four-day semi final match due to commence on March 9, SSC will meet Colts at Havelock Park while Ragama CC takes on Chilaw Marians at Maitland Crescent.

At Havelock park

Chilaw Marians 1st inngs. 290 all out and 2nd innings 311 all out (overnight - 160 for 5 contd. - J. Gunaratne 45, Prasad Jayasundara 61, H. Fernando 39, Nimesh Perera 36, Ganganath Ratnayake 2 for 47, Soahn Boralessa 4 for 45, Ganganath Ratnayake 3 for 79).

CCC: 1st inngs. 248 all out and 2nd innings 222 all out (Nisal Randika 61, Ganganath Ratnayake 56, I. Abeysinghe 36, Janaka Gunaratne 6 for 76, Nimesh Perera 2 for 2).

At FTZ grounds

Ragama CC 1st inngs. 359 all out and 2nd innings 396 for 6 at stumps (overnight 11 for no loss contd - (Indika de Saram 96, Duminda Perera 8, Dushantha Ranatunga 70, Kaushalya Weeraratne 60, J. Wijeratne 35, Duncan Arnolda 2 for 42).

BRC 1st inngs. 316 all out. (Dilshan Witharana 47, Varuna Waragoda 98, C. Soysa 63, Tamara Abeyratne 31, R. Dilruk 4 for 64, D. Gamage 2 for 42).

At Premadasa Stadium

Tamil Union 1st inngs. 256 all out and 2nd innings 101 all out (overnight - 82 for 6 at contd - (N. Dias 33, Kaushal Lokuarachchi 2 for 25, Suraj Mohammed 4 for 15, C. Jayaweera 2 for 13).

SSC 1st inngs. 225 all out and 2nd innings 134 for 5 (Tharanga Paranawithana 40, Avishka Gunawardena 43, Kaushal Lokuarachchi 21, Lassana Dias 3 for 29).

At Braybrooke Place

Bloomfiled 1st innings 227 all out and 2nd innings 128 all out (S. Dissanayake 39, S. Gunaratne 20, J. Kulatunga 3 for 49, Sajith Fernando 4 for 4, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara 2 for 11).

Colts: 1st innings 334 all out (overnight 176 for 4 contd. - Sajith Fernando 63, Malintha Warnapura 108, M. Pushpakumara 23, R. Peiris 15, Shanuka Dissanayake 4 for 70, Kumara Dharmasena 3 for 51) and 2nd innings 22 for no loss (Shantha Kalawitigoda 12 n.o).