- SSC lose second final in six days
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Sineth Jayawardena, the former Sri Lanka Under19 Captain continued his destructive white-ball form with a brutal assault on the SSC bowlers to guide Tamil Union to clinch the Major Club T20 title winning the final by seven wickets under lights at the R Premadasa Cricket Stadium yesterday.
The 21-year-old left-hander celebrated his inclusion in the Sri Lanka T20 squad for the Asian Games in Japan with a superlative knock of 82 off 32 balls inclusive of 9 fours and 5 sixes as Tamil Union hunted down SSC‘s total of 163-8 scoring 164-3 to win with 28 balls to spare.
Jayawardena was merciless on the SSC bowlers hitting boundaries at will by piercing the gaps time and again. By the time he was dismissed at 131, Tamil Union required only 33 for victory with more than half the number of overs to get it.
Navod Paranavithana who played second fiddle in a second wicket partnership of 133 off 56 balls with Jayawardena, remained unbeaten on 58 off 38 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes) when victory was achieved.
SSC were riding high before the rain break and looked towards a total close to 200 reaching 118-3 in 12.5 overs. Winning the toss and batting first they got off to a flier with openers Vishad Randika and skipper Avishka Fernando posting 89 off 50 balls. Fernando raced to a 25-ball half-century (3 fours, 4 sixes) before getting caught to a running catch by Jayawardena. Left-arm spinner Paranavitana who conceded 24 runs in his first two overs, struck twice in his third by getting rid of Kusal Mendis and Nuwanidu Fernando for five runs apiece. But despite the losses Randika kept the SSC scoreboard ticking, playing with aggressive intent and finding the boundaries to reach his half-century off 31 balls (6 fours, 1 six) before rain caused a stoppage.
Tamil Union came back strongly after the rain break to capture five wickets for 45 off 7.1 overs and restrict SSC to 163-8. The break allowed the Tamil Union to regroup and get their act together. Through their spinners and left-arm seamer Binura Fernando they tightened the grip on the game. Fernando who played a crucial part in Tamil Union making it to the final with a win over defending champions CCC in the Super Over, was once again their key bowler ending with figures of 3/22. The Tamil Union fielding and catching was admirable and it complimented with their bowling.
For SSC it was their second loss in a final in their return to Major Club cricket. They lost the Major Club 50-over final to Moors SC six days ago.
Scores:
SSC 163-8 (20) (Vishad Randika 68, Avishka Fernando 51, Binura Fernando 3/22, Navod Paranavithana 2/34) loses to Tamil Union 164-3 (15.2) (Sineth Jayawardena 82, Navod Paranavithana 58*, Malsha Fernando 2/37)
