[size=12pt]SSC clinch Premier Limited Over Tournament[/size]
Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) claimed a thrilling six-run win over Moors Sports Club to win the Tier A section of the Premier Limited Over Tournament, Sri Lanka's main List A event.

Moors, initially chasing 244 to win from 48 overs, were reduced to 46 for 3 after a fine spell from Shalika Karunanayake. Wicketkeeper-batsman Dasun Randuka and veteran Anil Rideegammanagedera added 75 runs for the fourth wicket to steady the chase. But the duo fell within the space of eight balls - Randuka was run out while Rideegamanagedera was caught and bowled by offspinner Sachithra Senanayake - to leave Moors stuttering at 124 for 5.

Captain Dilhara Lokuhettige (36) and Suresh Perera (39) then brought Moors right back into the game by adding 76 runs for the sixth wicket. Lokuhettige fell to a brilliant running catch by Mahela Jayawardene on the boundary, and next ball Perera was bowled by Thilan Thushara. The wickets proved crucial, as two balls later, the match was called off because of bad light. Moors fell just seven short of the Duckworth-Lewis par score.


SSC, put in by Moors, got off to a solid start with openers Tharanga Paranavitana (29) and Avishka Gunawardene (33) adding 62 runs before Nandika Ranjith, the 35-year-old left-armer, combined with wicketkeeper Randuka to remove the duo. Kaushal Silva, coming in at No. 3, scored a patient 89-ball 62 to see SSC through the middle overs, before he was cleaned up by Chanaka Welegedara, who had made his debut for Sri Lanka in the third Test against England in Galle.

Late hitting from Nuwan Zoysa, who smashed his way to 48 off 29 balls with three fours and three sixes, ensured that Moors needed to score more than five an over to win the game. Ranjith returned to claim two more wickets, including that of Zoysa, but he was expensive, conceding 75 runs off his ten overs, with four wickets.

Zoysa was awarded the Man of the Match for his blitz as well as his economical bowling, giving away only 35 runs off his ten overs.


Man-of-the-Match Nuwan Zoysa smashed a 29-ball 48 and bowled an economical spell to lead Sinhalese Sports Club to victory

Sinhalese Sports Club innings (48 overs maximum) R B 4s 6s SR
NT Paranavitana c Randika b Ranjith 29 48 2 0 60.41
DA Gunawardene c Randika b Ranjith 33 41 4 0 80.48
JK Silva b Welegedara 62 89 3 0 69.66
DPMD Jayawardene run out (Herath) 21 33 2 0 63.63
SHT Kandamby c Randika b Welegedara 25 45 0 0 55.55
DNT Zoysa c Dilhara b Ranjith 48 29 3 3 165.51
MTT Mirando c Herath b Ranjith 1 3 0 0 33.33
KPSP Karunanayake not out 2 1 0 0 200.00
KTGD Prasad not out 0 0 0 0 -
Extras (lb 11, w 10, nb 1) 22

Total (7 wickets; 48 overs) 243 (5.06 runs per over)


Did not bat TT Samaraweera, SM Senanayake


Fall of wickets1-62 (Gunawardene, 12.6 ov), 2-76 (Paranavitana, 16.1 ov), 3-110 (Jayawardene, 26.1 ov), 4-160 (Kandamby, 39.3 ov), 5-231 (Silva, 46.5 ov), 6-241 (Zoysa, 47.4 ov), 7-241 (Mirando, 47.5 ov)



Bowling O M R W Econ
UWMBCA Welegedara 10 0 39 2 3.90 (1w)
PN Ranjith 10 1 75 4 7.50 (1nb, 5w)
LHD Dilhara 10 1 35 0 3.50 (2w)
A Rideegammanagedera 7 0 38 0 5.42 (1w)
HMRKB Herath 8 0 30 0 3.75
CRB Mudalige 3 0 15 0 5.00



Moors Sports Club innings (target: 212 runs from 42.3 overs) R B 4s 6s SR
TKD Sudarshana lbw b Karunanayake 10 11 1 0 90.90
NMNP Nawela c Gunawardene b Karunanayake 16 28 2 0 57.14
GRP Peiris c Samaraweera b Karunanayake 2 13 0 0 15.38
MD Randika run out (Jayawardene) 43 66 4 0 65.15
A Rideegammanagedera c & b Senanayake 46 64 4 1 71.87
LHD Dilhara c Jayawardene b Prasad 36 31 2 2 116.12
ASA Perera b Mirando 39 39 3 1 100.00
HMRKB Herath not out 3 2 0 0 150.00
PN Ranjith not out 1 1 0 0 100.00
Extras (w 9) 9

Total (7 wickets; 42.3 overs) 205 (4.82 runs per over)


Did not bat CRB Mudalige, UWMBCA Welegedara


Fall of wickets1-20 (Sudarshana, 5.1 ov), 2-28 (Nawela, 7.3 ov), 3-46 (Peiris, 11.5 ov), 4-121 (Randika, 29.3 ov), 5-124 (Rideegammanagedera, 30.4 ov), 6-200 (Dilhara, 41.5 ov), 7-203 (Perera, 42.1 ov)



Bowling O M R W Econ
DNT Zoysa 10 0 35 0 3.50 (2w)
KPSP Karunanayake 10 1 52 3 5.20 (4w)
KTGD Prasad 7 1 32 1 4.57
SM Senanayake 9 1 40 1 4.44 (2w)
MTT Mirando 4.3 0 34 1 7.55 (1w)
NT Paranavitana 2 0 12 0 6.00





Toss Moors Sports Club, who chose to field first
Series Sinhalese Sports Club won the 2007/08 Premier Limited Over Tournament


Player of the match DNT Zoysa (Sinhalese Sports Club)


Umpires EAR de Silva and AG Dissanayake
TV umpire R Martinesz
Match referee GF Labrooy