Already three of them who crossed over to Sebastianites and Kurunegala YCC played in last weekend's matches, while three others are to follow suit in the matches to follow.
Batsmen Roshan Jaymon (Kurunegala YCC) and Sanjeeva Silva (Sebastianites) have returned to their former clubs, while all-rounder Dalugoda made his debut for Sebastianites in their match against Antonians SC last weekend.
Bloomfield are lining up fast bowler Mario Villavarayan, while CCC captain and left-hand middle-order bat Varuna Waragoda is likely to make his debut for Tamil Union in their match against Antonian SC at the Sara Stadium beginning tomorrow. Another top order batsman Chaminda Handunettige is tipped to turn out for NCC.
While handing out a season's suspension to CCC, the tournament committee made provision for its cricketers to join other clubs and play out the current season. The cricketers have not wasted much time in securing their places in some of the leading clubs.
Meanwhile, Sara Trophy (Segment 'A') pace-setters SSC set about consolidating their position at the top of the table, with an outright win over wooden-spoonists Kalutara TC, but Colts and Bloomfield with similar victories, loomed as their main threats to the title.
SSC did not feel the absence of its skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, as they simply brushed aside the feeble opposition put up by newcomers Kalutara TC, winning well inside two days. SSC made only 350, but that score was more than sufficient to bring them an innings win with fast-medium bowlers Nuwan Soysa (match bag of 9/49) and Samantha Dodanawala (7/73) running through the inexperienced batting line-up. Kalutara's only consolation was Padmanath Perera's five wickets.
Colts and Tamil Union garnered the highest number of points from one single match (23.5) this season, with facile victories over Police SC and Singha SC respectively.
Although Duleep Samaraweera, Jeevantha Kulatunga and Romesh Kaluwitharana - all completed contrasting half-centuries, Colts' key performer was Duleep's younger brother Tilan Samaraweera, who is improving with every match. On this occasion, he hit a stylish 68 and condemned Police to a massive 384-run defeat and also the season's lowest total (57) with a freakish spell of five wickets for eight runs of off-spin.
Sri Lanka's one-day all-rounder Upul Chandana played the stellar role in guiding Tamil Union to victory inside two days with the rare feat of a century and five wickets in an innings. Chandana's innings of 104 coupled with Gayan Wijekoon's 117 ensured Tamil Union ran up a substantial total of 448 for 9 declared. Then, Chandana with his right-arm leg-breaks bemused the Singha SC batsmen to put them out for totals of 133 and 121. Chandana fin- ished the match with nine wickets which included six in the second innings. Sri Lanka's ace spinner Muthiah Muralitharan proved an ideal foil to Chandana taking five wickets with his unorthodox off-breaks.
Another Sri Lanka all-rounder, Kumara Dharmasena made a stunning return to competitive cricket from injury with a career-best knock of 155 in Bloomfield's outright win over Kurunegala YCC at Kurunegala. Dharmasena injured his shoulder while fielding during the Champions' Trophy tournament in Sharjah last December and had been out of action since. None was more pleased with Dharmasena's knock than coach D.S. de Silva.
``He played like a true professional. He batted in the manner I wanted him to,'' said De Silva. Dharmasena's 6 1/2 hour display proved a valuable one for his club who were at one time struggling at 54 for 3. While Dharmasena's batting could be considered a plus factor, what was most interesting was how he turned his injured arm over as a bowler. He sent down 15 overs in the match and captured three wickets, which is a good augury.
Naveed Nawaz and Ruwan Kalpage also contributed with the bat with half-centuries, but finally it was left to the fast-medium deliveries of Pulasthi Gunaratne to bowl the home side out twice. Gunaratne who will soon have Villavarayan as his new ball partner, finished with a match bag of 10 wickets (6 for 71 in first innings).
NCC came up against unexpected opposition from BRC and were forced to settle for only first innings points - a result which did not do them any good in the race for the championship. A cen- tury from skipper Hashan Tillekeratne - his second of the season, and his double century fifth wicket partnership with Priyantha Rajapakse (88) enabled NCC to declare at 412 for 8 with the hope of achieving an outright result.
However, BRC provided stiff opposition replying with 326 through half-centuries from Duncan Arnolda and S. Tennekoon. In NCC's second innings chase for quick runs, opener Ruwin Peiris set a scorching pace by reaching the fastest century of the season off just 86 balls.
Panadura SC, who are struggling this season had to rely on their old warhorse and former Sri Lanka left-arm spinner, Don Anurasiri, for their first win. It came at the expense of Galle CC who were bundled out for 188 with Anurasiri taking six wickets. S. Kumara and S. Liyanage made 70 apiece for Panadura to make their highest total of the season (294).
Another left-arm spinner Gamini Perera was instrumental in bowling Antonian SC to a close first innings points win over Sebastianites in a match where both sides laboured to score runs in piteous conditions at the Tyronne Fernando Stadium. The start on the first day was put back by over an hour due to the pitch being wet. How it happened in the centre of a prevailing dry spell, remains a mystery, unless the pitch was over watered. Quite apart from the delayed beginning, the uncut outfield cut off many boun- daries thus reducing the game to a crawl. Overall, the match pro- duced 662 runs off 269 overs with only two innings completed.
Moors SC won the top of the table clash with Air Force quite handsomely to consolidate their position at the head of Group 'A', but are in danger of losing all their points (20.5) gained against Old Dharmapalians if the latter is suspended from the tournament. As hosts, the matting pitch prepared at Atuguriya Steel Corporation grounds for their match against Kandy CC was found to be dangerous and unsuitable for play. An inquiry is pending.
Moors SC's match-winners in their 143-run win over the Airmen were Punyakantha Abeygunasekera (91 and match bag of nine wickets) and Imran Thahir (88 and 4 for 32 including a hat-trick). Thahir's hat-trick, the first of the season, in his 11th over [victims: Tilak Fernando (c & b) 0, W. Karunaratne (b) 0, R. Rizan (c) 0] knocked the Airmen over as they attempted to chase a winning target of 281 in 66 overs.
Nomads went to the top of the Group 'B' table with their second straight outright win. Moratuwa SC were the victims on this occasion, losing by an innings. Nomads' victory was set up by fastmedium bowler Sampath Wickremarachchchi whose 11 wickets (including 8 for 88 in first innings) were the best by a bowler in this Segment. Coupled with his efforts, was the batting of Shantha Silva, brother of Sebastianites batsman Sanjeeva, who stroked his way to his second successive century. His partner in a second wicket century stand, Menaka Jayasinghe missed his by ten runs.