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Chilaw Marians move to top after rain-hit third round

A round-up of the third-round matches of the Premier League Tournament in Sri Lanka

Sa'adi Thawfeeq
07-Dec-2008

Malinga Bandara took five wickets in Ragama's draw against Sinhalese © AFP
 
Bad weather continued to play havoc with the Premier league tournament forcing all ten matches scheduled for the weekend in Tier A and B to end in draws. Not a ball was bowled on the second day in eight of the matches and rain curtailed play in the remaining games.
However four clubs managed to obtain first-innings points and the most impressive of those matches was Colombo CC's against Army Sports Club at the Colombo cricket ground. Buoyed by 139 by experienced batsman Bathiya Perera, CCC reached 252. In reply, Army had made 24 without loss at the end of the first day, but were made to sweat as there was no play possible on the second day. On final day, Army came within 27 runs of overhauling CCC's total, but were prevented from doing so by former Sri Lanka Under-19 allrounder Sachith Pathirana. He picked up six wickets for 90 runs with his left-arm orthodox spin in only his second first-class match.
The only other century of the round came from Malintha Gajanayake, whose stylish innings of 100 not out was sufficient to squeeze Nondescripts CC past Tamil Union's total of 277 at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium. This century was Gajanayake's second in 88 first-class matches since his debut in 2000-01. Isuru Udana, Tamil Union's 20-year-old medium-pacer hit a maiden first-class half-century in only his fifth match, but failed to click with the ball as NCC cruised past their total losing only six wickets.
Former Sri Lanka allrounder Hasantha Fernando came up with a sterling all-round performance for Moors Sports Club at Bloomfield's home ground. Fernando took five Bloomfield wickets for 24 runs to dismiss them for 102, and then followed it up with a useful 37 to steer Moors to 206 in their drawn game.
Giant killers Badureliya Sports Club were at the receiving end for a second consecutive weekend when they were shot out for 146 by Chilaw Marians, who recovered from a shaky 88 for 6 to reach 234 at the Nondescripts ground. Badureliya's downfall was brought about by two left-arm bowlers - spinner Dinuka Hettiarachchi and medium-pacer Gayan Wijekoon - who accounted for eight wickets between them. The points Chilaw Marians picked up were sufficient to take them to the top of Tier A replacing Ragama CC who had bad luck with the weather. In the only day play was possible,Sinhalese Sports Club kept them on the field the whole day scoring 329 for 8 at the Moors Sports Club ground. Opener Navin Perera missed out on his maiden first-class century for the second successive weekend when he was dismissed for 93. He was out for 96 against Colombo Colts the previous weekend. For Ragama, Malinga Bandara had a marathon spell ending with 5 for 105.
In Tier B, Burgher Recreation Club came within one wicket of pulling off a win over Panadura Sports Club at Havelock Park. In a low-scoring game Panadura, chasing 172 for victory, held on grimly to force a draw at 156 for 9. Table leaders Seeduwa Raddoluwa also fell short of time to beat Lankan CC at the Thurstan College Ground. With the whole of the second day washed out, Seeduwa Raddoluwa had Lankan CC reeling at 14 for 4 after setting them a target of 178. Police Sports Club withstood a probing spell of left-arm spin bowling from Suwanji Madanayake to overhaul Air Force's score of 198 by 15 runs at the Police Park ground. Madanayake, who has the season's best figures, took seven wickets in an innings for the second successive weekend.
Tier A TeamMat Won Lost Tied Draw AbanPts
Chilaw 3 1 00 2 0 29.815
Ragama 3 1 0 0 2 028.955
Bloomfield 3 1 00 2 0 28.63
Sinhalese 3 0 0 0 3 025.295
Nondescripts 3 0 10 2 0 23.745
Badureliya 3 1 1 0 1 020.815
Colts 2 1 00 1 0 18.805
Col CC 3 0 1 0 2 017.085
Moors 2 0 10 1 0 12.9
Tamil Union 3 0 0 0 3 09.265
SL Army 2 0 10 1 0 5.46

Tier B TeamMat Won Lost Tied Draw AbanPts
Seeduwa RCC 3 2 00 1 0 43.025
Panadura 3 2 0 0 1 035.135
Burgher 3 1 10 1 0 29.44
Police SC 3 0 1 0 2 026.4
Saracens 3 0 10 2 0 25.605
Moratuwa 3 1 1 0 1 021.535
SL Air SC 3 1 10 1 0 20.51
Lankan CC 3 0 0 0 3 017.265
Sebast CAC 3 0 00 3 0 8.615
Singha SC 3 0 2 0 1 08.175