Merc Cricket quarter-finalists found
Chaturanga Dikkumbura
Citizens Development Business, Toll Global Express, Mercantile Investments Ltd., John Keells Group ‘C’, Lankem Ceylon, Unilever Sri Lanka, Regnis Lanka and UB Finance advanced to the quarter-finals of the 14th David Pieris Group of Companies sponsored, ‘DPGC’ Challenge Trophy, MCA ‘E’ division, 30-Over League Tournament 2016. In the pre-quarter finals worked off last week-end, CDB crushed Commercial Bank ‘B’ by nine wickets; Toll Global cruised to a comfortable 81 runs win over Softlogic Finance; Mercantile Investments scored a hard fought four wickets win over Dialog Axi comfortably beat Nawaloka Group by 56 runs; Unilever scored a heart stopping one wicket win over AIA Insurance; Regnis Lanka scored a convincing 48 runs win over Astron Lanka and UB Finance over came DFCC Bank by 37 runs.
A Valliant 65 runs stand for the 9th wicket between No.8 batsman, Rasika Sanjeewa (58 not out in 38 balls, inclusive of four sixes and six fours) and No.10 batsman, Dilanga Wickramasinghe (15) spoilt the chances for AIA Insurance, as Unilever ran away with a one wicket win with five deliveries to spare. Intelligent bowling by Ravi Subasinghe (4 for 27) and a well compiled 72 not out in 74 balls inclusive of a six and eight fours by Charith Hendevitharana steered John Keells ‘C’ to a fine seven wickets win over group winners, Brandix Essentials. Pathum Madusanka (85 in 71 balls, inclusive of two sixes and 10 fours) and Nipuna Gamage (5 for 32) played vital roles for UB Finance in their 37 runs win over DFCC Bank.
Match results pre-quarter-finals:
(1) MCA /Morning: Citizens Development Business beat Commercial Bank ‘B’ by nine wickets; Commercial Bank ‘B’-126 (28.2) ( M. Liyanage 26, B. Abeysekera 29, J. Chamara 2/29, S. Perera 2/14, U. Premakumara 4/31); CDB-130 (16.3) (C. Dikkumbura 72 not out, Yohan Liyanage 39)
(2) MCA/afternoon: Toll Global beat Softlogic Finance by 81 runs.Toll Global-200 (30) (Sandun Sampath 81, Chanaka Silva 25, K.Thanura 25, C. Ranaweera 3/30, M. Wijetillake 2/49); Softlogic-119 (25.1) (Denver Foux 27, Suranga Kumara 42 not out, Chanaka Silva 3/26, Jude Dillon 2/23, Charith Buddhika 2/23)
(3) Campbell Park/ morning: Mercantile Investments Ltd beat Dialog Axiata ‘B’ by four wickets (match reduced to a 26 overs a side, due to ground preparation delay)
Dialog ‘B’-172/9 (26) (Sahan Wijeratne 30, Suranga Kumara 32, Suminda Kumara 26, M. Dharmaratne 22, P. Buddhika 4/18, D. Seneviratne 2/30, D. Rusiru 2/37); MIL-173 (24) (D. Rusiru 41, D. Anuradha 35 n.o., Udaya Kumara 25 n.o., D de Silva 2/24)
(4) Campbell Park /afternoon: John Keells ‘C’ beat Brandix Essentials by seven wickets Brandix-185 (29.5) (S. Ellawela 36, K. Liyanage 52, A. Kumara 30, D. Kumara 31, Ravi Subasinghe 4/27, R.Yahipala 3/25, M. Wijesuriya 2/58); JK ‘C’-186/3 (26.2) (C.Charith Hendevitharana 72 not out, Lasitha Mendis 43, S.Adikaram 25 not out )
(5) MCA/morning: Lankem Ceylon beat Nawaloka Group by 56 runs Lankem -192 (29.5) ( L.Weerasekera 40, R Weerasinghe 67, D. Artigala 35 H. Nanayakkara 2/30, R. Sameera 3/39, N. Ranatunga 2/18); Nawaloka-136 (28.3) (A. Basnayake 25,G.Sandakelum 25, Mohamed Aslam 4/19, C. Dissanayake 3/24).
(6) MCA /afternoon: Unilever beat AIA Insurance by one wicket
AIAI-176/9 (30) (H. Niroshana 51, D. Bandara 26, D. Thusira 3/30, A. Atapattu 2/25, M. Weerasinghe 2/35); Unilever -179/9 (29.1) (Rasika Sanjeewa 58, M.Weerasinghe 32, H. Rajendra 22, D. Bandara 3/18, N. Rodrigo 3/32)
(7) Campbell Park /morning: Regnis Lanka beat Astron Lanka by 48 runs (Match reduced to 19 overs a side, due to wet ground conditions)
Regnis-181/9 (19) (Gayan Fernando 51, M. Irfan 32, T. Sanjeewa 28, V. Silva 3/37, T. Thishantha 2/42, N. Fernando 2/24); Astron-133 (17.3) ( B. Abeyratne 45, S. Jayantha 3/21, D. Dhananjaya 2/18, G. Fernando 2/12)
(8) Campbell Park /afternoon: UB Finance beat DFCC Bank by 37 runs UBF-226/7 (30) (M. Jayawickrama 60, Pathum Madusanka 55, S. Seneviratne 46, L. Dias 3/24, O. Landewela 2/40); DFCC Bank -189 (28.3) (H. Cooray 48, J. Lawrance 65, Nipuna Gamage 5/32)
The tourney will take a break for the new year this week-end and will re-start on April 23 with the quarter-finals: Citizens Development Business Vs. Toll Global, followed by Mercantile Investments Vs. John Keells ‘C’ at MCA; Lankem Ceylon Vs.Unilever, followed by Regnis Lanka Vs. UB Finance at Thurstan Grounds.