Curtains close on MCA Division ‘F’ cricket
The curtain comes down of the Sierra IT Trophy, MCA Division ‘F’ 25-over League Tournament when Lankem Ceylon meets Vallibal Finance in the finals at the MCA ground this weekend.
In the semi-finals played over the weekend, Lankem Ceylon snatched a 5-wicket win with two deliveries to spare against Hirdaramani Group while Vallibal Finance cruised to a 6-wicket win over Toll Global Forwarding.
Hirdaramani’s sent into bat put up a challenging total of 162 for 9 in 25 overs via solid knocks from Sameera Ratnayake, who hit 47 in 25 balls inclusive of five sixes and two fours, and Gayan Manohara who made 45 in 48 balls, inclusive of a six and four boundaries. The Hirdaramani total would have been much higher if not for the splendid bowling performance of Udara Lakmal (5-0-35-5) for Lankem.
Lankem in their run chase needing 163 runs in 25 overs with an asking rate of 6.52 per over, reached their target in the nick of time, thanks to the gusty innings of Buddhika Madusanka. Madusanka hit a brisk 57 off 58 balls inclusive of a six and eight fours and associated in a valuable 45-run stand for the fourth wicket with Dinesh Alawathugoda, who smashed 40 in 25 balls with two sixes and four fours.
A notable double by Adeesha Nanayakkara (5-1-28-3 and 36 not out in 37 balls with two sixes and two fours) spearheaded Vallibal Finance to a fine 9-wicket win over Toll Global Forwarding. Nanayakkara, after restricting Toll Global to 142 for 9 in 25 overs, was associated in a 65-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Sagara Upuldeniya (41 in 29 balls, with three sixes and three fours), thus taking them over the line in the 24th over.
Semi-final results:
Saturday at MCA: Lankem Ceylon beat Hirdaramani Group by 5 wickets
Hirdaramani Group 162/9 in 25 overs (Sameen Ratnayake 47, Gayan Manohara 45, Udara Lakmal 5/35, M. Aslam 2/25)
Lankem 163/5 in 24.4 overs (Buddhika Madusanka 57, Dinesh Alawathugoda 40)
Sunday at MCA: Vallibal Finance beat Toll Global Forwarding by 6 wickets
Toll Global 142/9 in 25 overs (Mahesh Perera 50, Thilina Madusanka 32, Adeesha Nanayakkara 3/28, Dilshan Ratnayake 2/15)
Vallibal Finance 148/4 in 23.5 overs (Sagara Upuldeniya 41, Adeesha Nanayakkara 36 not out)
Match winning tons from Irshad and Sashrika in Division ‘G’
Opening batsmen Irshad Rashmishad from Merchant Bank Finance and Sashrika Pussegolla from Asia Asset Insurance hit centuries in the ongoing 5th ‘Honda’ Trophy, MCA Division ‘G’ 25-over League Tournament, continued last week.
Rashmishad banged 103 runs in 44 balls, inclusive of eight massive sixes and a dozen sizzling boundaries, as he guided MBSL Insurance to a massive 117-run win over Glaxo SmithKline. MBSL was the first team to go over 300 runs in the tournament (308 for 4 in 25 overs) due to two century partnerships; the first, an opening stand of 115 runs between Rashmishad and Sameera Abeyratne (45) and the second, 100 runs for the third wicket between Dhanushka Kandegama (47) and P.K. Kariyapperuma (81 not out in 35 balls, inclusive of eight sixes and five fours).
Sashrika Pussegolla carried his bat out after hitting a sparkling 120 not out in 83 balls, inclusive of five sixes and 12 fours, as he carried Asia Asset Insurance to a 91-run win over ACL Cables.
Bowling honours went to Arunalu Weerasinghe from Total Amber, who bagged 5 for 16 in 5 overs, thus guiding them to a close 3-wicket win over UB Finance. Some matches were forced for delay starts as they were played with reduced number of overs due to wet ground conditions.
Match results
Thurstan/morning: Total Amber beat UB Finance by 3 wickets
UBF 126 (21.5); Total Amber (given a revised target of 99 runs in 15 overs) 79/7 (13.3)
Thurstan/afternoon: Palliyaguruge Group beat Tea and Herbs by 31 runs
Palliyaguruge 137/7 (21); Tea and Herbs 103 (20.4)
Reid Avenue/morning: HNB Assurance beat Peak Colombo by 7 wickets
Peak Colombo 122/6 (25); HNB Assurance (revised target 94 runs in 19 overs) 94/3 (13.2)
Reid Avenue/afternoon: Ultra Tech Cement beat Mobitel ‘B’ by 4 wickets
Mobitel ‘B’ 189/6 (25); Ultra Tech 190/6 (24.2)
Mattegoda/morning: Stafford Motors beat Brandix ‘B’ by 87 runs
Stafford Motors 187/6 (25); Brandix ‘B’ 100 (20.4)
Mattegoda/afternoon: Deutsche Bank beat NM Distributors by 77 runs
DB 190/5 (25); NMD 113 (24.4)
Moratuwa/morning: Pearson Lanka beat Avian Technologies by 8 wickets
Avian Tech 74 (17.5); Pearson’s 76/2 (13.3)
Moratuwa/afternoon: Coca Cola Beverages beat A. Baur and Co. by 54 runs
Coca Cola 205/8 (25); A Baur’s 151 (24.4)
Campbell Park/morning: SriLankan Airlines beat Metropolitan by 7 wickets
Metropolitan 143/5 (25); SriLankan 147/3 (14.5)
Campbell Park/afternoon: Merchant Bank SL Finance beat Glaxo SmithKline by 117 runs
MBSL Finance 308/4 (25); GSK 191 (24.3)
Welisara/morning: Kelani Cables beat Nor Lanka by 66 runs
KC 206/6 (25); Nor Lanka 140/8 (25)
Welisara/afternoon: Asia Asset Insurance beat ACL Cables by 91 runs
AAI 224/4 (25); ACLC 133/4 (25)
Katunayake/morning: Tech-One Global beat Brandix Mahabage by 2 runs
TOG 131/9 (25); Brandix 129 (23.5)
Katunayake/afternoon: Butani Capital beat Jetwing Travels by 3 wickets
JWT 95 (19.3); Butani’s 96/7 (22.3)