Major Club Semi Final  Sonal, Pavan guide CCC to second successive final

 Sonal Dinusha

By M. Shamil Amit 

Half tons by Sonal Dinusha and Pavan Ratnayake laid the foundation for CCC to record a comfortable 68 runs win over Tamil Union in the second semifinal of the Major Club limited over tournament played under floodlights at the CCC ground yesterday which helped them to make it to the final for the second successive year.

Tamil Union chasing a formidable target of 310 runs for victory made steady progress with opener Sithara Hapuhinna and Sharujan Shanmuganathan defying CCC for a considerable period of time.

But the separation of the pair with the dismissal of Hapuhinna who made a run a ball knock of 76 which had eight boundaries and three sixes and having shared a partnership of 117 runs for the third wicket had them falling back.

Thereafter Shanmuganathan did not last long as he was dismissed 13 runs later having made 56 in 59 balls with five boundaries.

Bhanuka Rajapakse the only recognized batter left was unable to make any headway as he lost partners at the other end and despite him making a run a ball knock of 31 his dismissal sealed the fate of Tamil Union as they were bowled out for a score of 241 runs paving the way for CCC to make it to the final for the second successive year.

For CCC Kamindu Mendis was the successful bowler ending with a four wicket haul while Vishwa Fernando and Nuwan Thushara shared four wickets between them.

Earlier in the day CCC invited to take first lease of the wicket had Sonal Dinusha make an unbeaten 83 in 72 balls that included four boundaries and two sixes as he shared three valuable partnerships when they were in a spot of bother on 57 for 3 in the 14th over.

Sonal began CCC’s recovery with a 42 runs stand for the fourth wicket with Kamindu Mendis which followed with an 86 runs stand for the fifth wicket in 92 balls with Pavan Ratnayake who made 63 in 75 balls with six boundaries and two sixes and then shared another valuable stand of 73 runs in 69 balls for the sixth wicket with Sahan Kosala who hit 48 in 39 balls with eight boundaries for them to end their innings at 309 for 7.

CCC will now meet Police SC in the final scheduled to be played under floodlights at the same venue on July 30.

Scores

At CCC – CCC win by 68 runs 
CCC 309 for 7 in 50 overs (Pavan Ratnayake 63, Sahan Kosala 48, Nishan Madushka 36, Kamindu Mendis 26, Sonal Dinusha 83 n.o., Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 4/52, Lahiru Samarakoon 2/46)
Tamil Union 241 in 41.1 overs (Sithara Hapuhinna 76, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 56, Bhanuka Rajapakse 31, Kamindu Mendis 4/43, Vishwa Fernando 2/40, Nuwan Thushara 2/41)