Hayley’s Group, Kanrich Finance, Mobitel, LB Finance win curtain-raisers
RESULTS
The MCA 2017 season started off last weekend with Hayley’s Group ‘A’, Kanrich Finance ‘A’, Mobitel ‘A’ and LB Finance ‘A’ emerging winners in the tournament openers of the MIDS Trophy –‘B’ Division 50-Over League tournament.
Nimanda Madusanka of PABC Bank ‘A’, Ronil Cooray of Hayleys Group ‘A’ and Gayan Sirisoma of Seylan Bank were the weekend’s top performers.
Madusanka hit a swashbuckling 102 not out in 73 balls, inclusive of 6 sixes and 10 fours. He was involved in a 131run stand for the 7th wicket with B. de Alwis (52), to put the bankers on a sound footing at 291 for 7 in 50 Overs.
However, Madusanka’s effort was overshadowed by Hayleys Group opening batsman, Ronil Cooray who collard the PABC bowlers with a run-a-ball 117 not out which had 16 fours and 1 six, as he carried his bat throughout for a 5-wicket win.
Cooray got stuck with Visula Weerasekera (72 in 71 balls, with 2 sixes and 10 fours) and sealed their win with a bright 127-ball, 140-run stand for the 2nd wicket, reaching their target (292 for 5) with 5.2 overs to spare.
A 133-ball, 115-run partnership for the 2nd wicket, between Kasun Vidura (74 in 96 balls with 7 fours) and Thavan Wickramasinghe (56) and a stingy spell of bowling by Roshan Laksiri (6.3-0-18 -4) gave Kanrich Finance ‘A’ a convincing 57-run win over John Keells ‘B’.
Leg spinner Ranga Rajapakse (8-125-5) and medium pacer, M. Shiraz (7-2-20-3) bowled out Commercial Bank ‘A’ for a paltry 103 runs in 25 overs, as Mobitel went home for tea with a cake walk 161-run win.
Old war horse, Gayan Sirisoma bowled an inspired spell of 10-1-24-6, but was not adequate for Seylan Bank to defend their moderate total of 159 runs mustered in 38.2 overs, as LB Finance coasted to a 4-wicket win with more than 18 overs to spare.
Seylan Bank, who played in the MCA Premier League for over two decades, is playing 2nd fiddle this year, due to lack of talent.
Hayleys Group ‘A’ beat PABC Bank ‘A’ by 5 wickets
291 for 7 (50 overs) ( Nimanda Madusanka 102 not out, B. de Alwis 52, L. Wickramasinghe 30, V. Deepal 33, H. Rajapaksa 3/55, Ali Khan 2/70, M. Deepal 2/60)
292 for 5 (44.4 overs) (Ronil Cooray 117 not out, Visula Weerasekera 72, Maduranga Soysa 55, V. Deepal 2/12, G. Bopage 2/44)
Mobitel ‘A’ beat Commercial Bank ‘A’ by 161 runs
264 for 8 (50 overs) ( J. Roshan 53, L. Jayasinghe 45 not out, P. Thirimadura 32, A. Ranasinghe 3/45, S. Gunawardena 2/37)
103 all out (25 overs) (Manjula Silva 16, A. Ranasinghe 20, R. Rajapaksa 5/25, M. Shiraz 3/20)
At FTZ Grounds, Katunayake: Kanrich Finance ‘A’ beat John Keells Group ‘B’ by 57 runs
252 for 9 (50 overs) (Kasun Vidura 74, Pavan Wickramasinghe 56, K. Kulasekera 36, P. Jayasuriya 32 not out T. Ratnayake 3/65, H. Wickramasuriya 2/34, S. Perera 2/44)
195 all out (41.3 overs) (T. Ratnayake 50, S. Ushan 45, R. Laksiri 4/18, M. Wijeyalath 3/56, P. Jayasuriya 2/24)
LB Finance ‘A’ beat Seylan Bank by 4 wickets
159 all out (38.2 overs) (Kanchana Gunawardena 45, Tharanga Paranavitana 25, Rajeeve Weerasinghe 3/37, C. Sudaraka 2/17, S. Fernando 2/35)
161 for 6 (31.5 overs) (Chathuranga Kumara 42 not out, Lakshan Rodrigo 30, Gayan Sirisoma 6/24)