By Srian Obeyesekere
Colombo Cricket Club outclassed Police Sports Club by 187 runs with a good 8.4 overs to spare to pocket the Sri Lanka Cricket Limited Overs Tournament 2025 title by amassing 387 runs and dismissing their opponents for 200 in the day-night finals yesterday powered by Pavan Rathnayake, magnificent Player of the Match unbeaten 158 off 94 balls packed by 13 boundaries and 9 sixes having taken first strike on winning the toss at their home grounds.
CCCs superior batting line up made the difference in a tournament that both sides had dominated to going the ultimate distance to the trophy stakes. Sonal Dinusha’s decision to bat first though did see two early hiccups when Police’s pace bowler Charuka Pramod made two quick strikes removing Lasith Croospulle for a first ball duck leg before wicket off the final delivery of the first over of the innings and followed up with the prize wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva for 2 four overs later reducing CCC to 2 for 2. But that was as far as Police’s bowlers would go with Kamindu Mendis joining Nishan Madushka in a rich 130-run vein to swinging the game their way with Madushka going on to rattle 88 off 85 driven by 13 boundaries and 1 six while Mendis smashed 59 off 52 filled with 10 boundaries as CCC reached 155 when the latter fell to Charuka Jayathilake who had him caught by Priyamal Perera into 23.3 overs.
The advent of the inform Pavan Rathnayake was to totally put out Police from the contest as the right-hander continued his brilliant century form that took off in Australia representing the Sri Lanka A team to a semi-final winning 73 versus Tamil Union to producing what was a typically big show innings of grandeur as he together with skipper Sonal Dinusha, himself carrying the brimstone of century works for Sri Lanka A versus Australia A produced a follow up fireworks of the game against Tamil Union by a top score unbeaten 83 to once again coming good by a 51-ball 53 with 2 sixes and equal number of fours as the fifth wicket pair ran amok by a massive 190 bonding after Madushka had been dismissed by Police skipper Ashen Bandara holing to Nadeera Balasooriya when well in sight of a ton.
Indeed, the day belonged by and large to the 22-year old Pavan Rathnayake whose sixer hitting enveloped the sessions as the former Mahanama College product made a strong case for mainstream national recognition in a tremendous form run with his bat.
Police SC’s innings suffered the early setback of 26 for 2 wickets as quicks Nuwan Thushara and Vishwa Fernando struck with the former having Dhanuja Induwara caught b Madushka for 10 followed up by Fernando removing Nadeera Balasooriya caught by Kosala for 11. The experienced Sri Lankan campaigner Kusal Janith Perera struck a quick 31 off 17 with 2 sixes and 3 boundaries. By the time he fell Police had lost 4 wickets for 82 after 13 overs when Chamindu Wjesinghe had him held by Croospulle. It became worse when skipper Ashen Bandara was out for 7 in deep trouble of 86 for 5 after 14 overs. They recovered to 154 for 6 just past the halfway mark after 26.4 overs, thanks to a belligerent run a ball 57 by Priyamal Perera filled with 5 boundaries and a six, but CCC dug deeper 7 for 159 into 29.5 overs when Karannagoda trapped Charuka Jayathilake for 1 and when Perera was eighth out with the score 172 after 31.5 overs, CCC was well on their way to pocketing the title as Police last their last two wickets on 200.
The 20-year old left arm orthodox Karannagoda, another product who cut his teeth in the game at Mahanama College, Colombo, was CCC’s most productive wicket taker with figures of 4 for 32.
Chief Scores
CCC 387/5 50 Overs
Pavan Rathnayake n.o. 158, Nishan Madushka 88, Kamindu Mendis 59, Sonal Dinusha 53, Chamindu Wijesinghe 10, Charuka Pramod 2/92, Charuka Jayathilake 2/65, Ashen Bandara 1/37.
Police SC 200 40.2 overs
Priyamal Perera 57, Kusal Janith Perera 31, Jason Fernando 26, Vishad Randika 22, Nalin Priyadharshana 19, Nadeera Balasooriya 11, Dhanuja Induwara 10, Inuka Karannagoda 4/32, Vishwa Fernando 1/25, Nuwan Thushara 1/44, Sonal Dinusha 1/27.