(Courtesy The Papare)
Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) emerged victorious in the SLC Major Clubs Tier B Limited Overs Tournament 2025, defeating Moratuwa Sports Club by 4 wickets in a gripping final at the iconic SSC Grounds in Colombo.
Winning the toss, SSC elected to bowl first, putting Moratuwa SC under early pressure. Moratuwa struggled at 106/8, but a spirited fightback, led by Poorna Prabath’s explosive 92 off 80 balls (8 fours, 6 sixes), turned the tide.
Prabath’s partnerships—a 66-run stand with Dumindu Sewmina (35 off 54 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and a 59-run stand with Ushan Sathsara—propelled Moratuwa to a respectable 231 all out.
However, SSC’s bowling attack, spearheaded by the experienced left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, proved too strong. Jayasuriya’s exceptional 10-over spell yielded 4 wickets for just 15 runs, dismantling Moratuwa’s middle order and setting the stage for SSC’s chase.
Chasing 232, SSC relied on their batting depth to navigate a challenging Moratuwa bowling attack. Middle-order batter Nipun Dhananjaya anchored the innings with an unbeaten 73 off 104 balls, including 8 fours, guiding his team to victory with composure.
Contributions from national-capped players Avishka Fernando (38) and Charith Asalanka (37) provided crucial momentum, ensuring SSC reached the target in 40.4 overs with 4 wickets in hand.