By SA'ADI THAWFEEQ
Sri Lanka all-rounder Kumara Dharmasena carried the day for defending champs Bloomfield when he hit a chanceless century on the first day of the 4-day division I (Segment 'A') Sara trophy final against SSC at the SSC grounds yesterday.
Bloomfield choosing to bat first after winning the toss were dismissed in the final over of the day for 313 with Dharmasena being the last man out after scoring an impeccable 109 in 259 minutes off 180 balls. He hit 14 fours and two sixes and was involved in a face-saving ninth wicket stand of 114 with Pulasthi Gunaratne, who hit a useful 42 in 93 minutes with eight fours.
Without Dharmasena's knock, Bloomfield would have been in a worse plight after they had been reduced to 119 for 6 by some effective bowling changes brought about by SSC captain Arjuna Ranatunga. Dharmasena was informed that he was playing in the final, only late Wednesday evening when the Mercantile CA took a decision to postpone all its 'A' division matches for the weekend.
Bloomfield are without Sanath Jayasuriya who is down with a temperature and Roshan Mahanama, who is out of the country. SSC went to the match without fast bowler Pramodya Wickremasinghe.
Day 2: Bloomfield 313: SSC 303 for 3, Marvan, Arjuna in grand stand
By SA'ADI THAWFEEQ
Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and Marvan Atapattu carried their South African batting form into the division I (Segment 'A') Sara trophy cricket final when they shared an unfinished fourth wicket partnership of 167 runs to put SSC in command against defending champs Bloomfield on the second day at the SSC grounds Friday.
Replying to Bloomfield's first innings total of 313, SSC finished strongly on 303 for three wickets, with Atapattu batting throughout the day to be unconquered on 155 and Ranatunga unbeaten on 77.
It was once again the Bloomfield catching that led them down. Although their ground fielding was tidy, the catching left much to be desired as their butter-fingered fieldsmen gave Atapattu three 'lives'.
The unlucky bowler was Ruchira Perera who saw Atapattu missed at five and 18, and Kumara Dharmasena, who saw the batsman being let off at 149.
Until the Atapattu-Ranatunga liaison, Bloomfield kept SSC batsmen quiet with some accurate bowling, which saw only 65 runs added in the morning session and 71 in the afternoon.
The only chance Bloomfield had of breaking through SSC's batting was in the final over before tea, when Ruchira Palliyaguru, the most successful Bloomfield bowler with 2 for 39, trapped Mahela Jayawardene leg before wicket for 18.
The dismissal brought in Ranatunga. After the tea break, Bloomfield tried everything to dislodge the SSC captain, but he was equal to the task, and having survived the initial assault, launched himself into the bowling to slam 11 fours in his knock which has lasted 184 minutes.
Atapattu playing the sheet anchor role stroked his way to 23 fours in a stay of 440 minutes during which period he has faced 283 balls.
SSC need only to gain a first innings lead to clinch the title in the event the four-day final ends in a draw. Achieving that was a mere formality at the end of the second day with only 11 runs required and seven wickets in hand.
Day 3: Bloomfield's poor fielding takes trophy away: Arjuna, Marvan help SSC to reach 582
By Ranjan Anandappa
SSC is on the verge of regaining Sri Lanka's prestigious cricket award the P. Sara Trophy from holders Bloomfield in a repetition of last year's final.
SSC's batsmen put them in an impregnable position on third day of the four day final at Maitland Place yesterday.
In reply to Bloomfield's 313, SSC were 303 for 3 on Friday and within striking distance of a first innings lead.
Yesterday, SSC amassed 582 to gain a lead of 269 as their batsmen - skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (192) and Marvan Atapattu (179) and Hemantha Wickremaratne despatched a tiring Bloomfield attack to all corners of the field.
Skipper Ranatunga who strode into the crease with the scoreboard reading 136 for 3, played a cool and efficient innings and partnering Atapattu, engaged themselves in an excellent 259-run stand for the fourth wicket off 74.1 overs. Ranatunga faced 292 deliveries and had 26 fours and a six while Atapattu utilised 384 balls and hit 26 fours in his innings.
Wickremaratne and Ranatunga gave a final twist to the SSC innings adding 102 runs for the fifth wicket. Wickremarate's 60 was studed with eight fours facing 74 balls.
It was Bloomfield's fielding lapses that really put them into a difficult situation. Atapattu was dropped on more than one occasion while Ranatunga too rode his luck.
Left-arm seamer Ruchira Perera was the unluckiest of the lot as at least three catches were dropped off his bowling.
Day 4: SSC clinch 'Sara' title outright after five years
by SA'ADI THAWFEEQ
Singhalese Sports Club (SSC) won the Sara Trophy inter-club division I (Segment 'A') title outright for the first time in five years, when the 4-day final against defending champions Bloomfield ended in a draw at the SSC grounds yesterday.
SSC were declared champions by virtue of obtaining a first innings lead over Bloomfield. In reply to Bloomfield's total of 313, SSC amassed 582 in their first innings. Facing a deficit of 269 runs, Bloomfield's batting showed more resoluteness than in the first innings to total 295 for four wickets a second time round on the final day yesterday.
Bloomfield captain Ruwan Kalpage played a dogged innings to remain undefeated on 120 scored in 364 minutes off 252 balls with eight fours and a five. The left-hander reached his first fifty off 83 balls, but laboured for a further 151 balls before completing his century.
Kalpage promoting himself in the batting order to number four, figured in two century stands that put Bloomfield out of danger of an outright defeat, after they had lost an early wicket resuming at 32 for one.
Tharaka Gunaratne was bowled by off-spinner Harith Jayasuriya for 25, after only four runs was added to the Bloomfield overnight total. However, Sampath Perera with 53 in 207 minutes (8 fours) and Naveed Nawaz with 68 in 190 minutes (8 fours) helped their captain in partnerships of 107 and 122 for the third and fourth wickets respectively to enable Bloomfield wipe out the massive first innings deficit.
Once that was achieved the match was called off in the eighth mandatory over.
Since the tournament was given first-class status in 1988-89, SSC have now won the Sara trophy outright on four occasions, the last being in 1992-93, and shared the title twice in 1988-89 (with NCC) and 1994-95 (with Bloomfield).
They were led admirably by Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga, whose monumental knock of 192 put the game out of Bloomfield's reach on the third day. Ranatunga picked up both the 'Man of the Final' and 'Best Batsman of the Final' awards worth Rs. 30,000, while his team became richer by Rs. 100,000.
Bloomfield badly hit by the absence of their world record holders, Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama (who were both unavailable for the final) had to be content with the runner-up prize of Rs. 80,000 and a lost crown.
The awards of the Segment 'B' final which was completed the previous weekend was also given along with that of the Segment 'A'. Galle CC became champions defeating Kalutara TC by 118 runs.
Bloomfield president Shelly Wickramasingha was the chief guest, while Ranjit Pandithage of the SSC was the guest of honour.
AWARDS
DIVISION I (SEGMENT 'A')
Winner (Rs. 100,000 and Sara trophy) - SSC
Runner-up (Rs. 80,000) - Bloomfield
Man of the Final (Rs. 20,000) - A. Ranatunga (SSC)
Best Batsman of Final (Rs. 10,000) - A. Ranatunga (SSC)
Best Bowler of Final (Rs. 10,000) - R. Palliyaguru (Bloomfield)
Man of the tournament (Rs. 25,000) - U.C. Hathurusingha (Moors SC)
DIVISION I (SEGMENT 'B')
Winner (Rs. 100,000) - Galle CC
Runner-up (Rs. 75,000) - Kalutara TC
Man of the Final (Rs. 20,000) - C. K. Hewamana (Galle CC)
Best Batsman of Final (Rs. 10,000) - C. K. Hewamana (Galle CC)
Best Bowler of Final (Rs. 10,000) - H. Rajapakse (Galle CC)
Man of the tournament (Rs. 25,000) - R. Kottachi (Kalutara TC)