Colombo Cricket Club (CCC) won over Tamil Union C& AC by 68 runs yesterday on a formidable 309 for 7 and dismissing their opponents for 241 in 41.1 overs in the day-night semi-final of the Sri Lanka Cricket 2025 Major Clubs 50-Over Limited Overs Championship at the CCC but not before Tamil Union had threatened to turn it their way when on a high of 3 for 151 after 23.2 overs catapulting from 164 for 4 in 26.4 overs to set up a final versus Police SC on Wednesday under floodlights at the same venue.
CCC made the most of it on being put into bat it running up 309 for 7 wickets in the 50 overs, but not before the early setback of 4 for 99 into 19.3 overs from which they were rescued by a 86-run fifth wicket partnership between skipper Sonal Dinusha who was unbeaten on 83 off 72 balls with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes, and Pavan Rathnayake 63 off 75 with 6 boundaries and 2 to the stands as the duo continued their superb form fresh from centuries for Sri Lanka A in the recent unofficial test series versus Australia A down under.
Sahan Kosala struck a quickfire 48 in adding 73 together with Dinusha for the sixth wicket after Rathnayake was dismissed by Vihas Thewmika to a catch by Bhanuka Rajapaksa as CCC made strong headway reaching 258 after 45.3 overs when Kosala fell.
CCCs off spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth was the pick with 4 wickets for 52 followed by pacer Lahiru Samarakoon 2 for 46, the twosome having had CCC reeling on 99 for 4 after 19.3 overs at one stage. Samarakoon trapped Lasith Croospulle leg before wicket for 2 and Dhananjaya de Silva for 14 caught by Shanmuganathan for 14 while Viyaskanth bowled Nishan Madushka for 36 and had Kamindu Mendis for 26 caught by substitute fielder S.T.S. Senarath.
But that was as far as Tamil Union got with Dinusha and Rathnayake turning it CCCs way.
Tamil Union was dismissed for 241 in the 43rd over with wicket-keeper opening batsman Sithara Hapuhinna stroking a run a ball 76 with 3 sixes and 8 to boundaries and Sri Lanka U19 prodigy Sharujan Shanmuganathan a praiseworthy 56 off 59 with 5 boundaries adding 117 for the third wicket after 23.2 overs in lifting Tamil Union from 2 for 34 when they lost Sineth Jayawardena for 19 to Vishva Fernando who had him caught by Kosala with the score 33 after 3.5 overs and skipper Minod Bhanuka fell for a first ball duck also to Fernando in identical fashion caught by Kosala making it 34 for 2 after 4 overs. With both Hapuhina and Shanmuganatha falling in quick succession, the opener caught by Croospulle off Chamindu Wijesinghe and the latter caught by Dhananjaya de Silva off Kamindu Mendis Tamil Union were 164 for 4 jut past the halfway mark after 26.4 overs, but yet on an even keel to making it. But they lacked the firepower from there onwards with onlyBhanuka Rajapaksa getting a substantial run a ball 31 as the rest wilted with Kamindu Mendis finishing with figures of 4 for 43 and upfront quicks Vishwa Fernando 2 for 40 and Nuwan Thushara 2 for 41 in finishing it off in 41.1 overs.
Chief Scores
CCC 309/7 50 Overs
Sonal Dinusha n.o. 83, Pavan Rathnayake 63, Sahan Kosala 48, Nishan Madushka 36, Kamindu Mendis 26, Dhananjaya de Silva 14, Nishan Peiris n.o. 14, Vijayaskanth Viyaskanth 4/52, Lahiru Samarakoon 2/46, Vihas Thewmika 1/44.
Tamil Union C&AC 241 41.1 Overs
Sithara Hapuhinna 76, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 56, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 31, Sineth Jayawardena 19, Vihas Thewmika 15, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 14, Tharindu Rathnayake 12, Kamindu Mendis 4/43, Vishwa Fernando 2/40, Nuwan Thushara 2/41, Chamindu Wijesinghe 1/46.