Kanrich 'B' overcome unbeaten CDB to clinch title
Kanrich Finance (Kanrich) 'B' led by Rajitha Asellarachchi ended Citizens Development Business Finance CDB's unbeaten run of 29 matches in 3 MCA seasons, in a hard fought 23- runs win on D& L Method, while defending a moderate total, in the 7th Prestige Automobile ( Pvt) Ltd., sponsored, ' BMW- Hyundai' Trophy, MCA ' C' Division 50- Over League tournament 2018 at the MCA Grounds last weekend.
CDB won the MCA ' E' Division in 2016, beating Lankem and won the ' D' Division in 2017, beating Kanrich ' B', and remained unbeaten in this tournament up to the Semifinals ( 29 wins on the trot in 3 MCA seasons)
Kanrich ' B' put into bat, got off to a shaky start, losing opener Ravindu Soysa and in form batsman Tharushan Iddamalgoda, at 22 and 26, both bagged by opening bowler Chamod Piyumal. Kanrich 'B' steadied their ship with a cautious 112runs stand in 177 balls, for the 3rd wicket between Shashika Fernando ( 63 in 115 balls with 6 fours) and Kasun Chamara ( 69 in 90 balls with 2 sixes and 8 fours) This was the only spark in the Kanrich ' B' innings, as CDB spinners, Savin Gunasekera ( 10- 2- 22- 0) and Shaluka Silva (8.2-0-28-3) shackled the rest of the batsmen. There were 3 run-outs. With a healthy dose of extras ( 35), Kanrich ' B' finished with a moderate 213 in 49.2 overs.
CDB too, got off to a bad start, losing Aravinda Akuragoda ( 7), Chathuranga Dikkumbura ( 3) and Asitha Perera ( 14) to be 41/ 3 in 12 overs. They got back on course with a slow 4th- wicket stand of 80 runs in 107 balls via Chenutha Wickramasinghe (51 in 64 balls with 1 six and 5 fours) and Dhanushka Dharmasiri (43 in 64 balls with 1 six and 2 fours)
Team Kanrich ' B' fielded like a pack of terriers, led by the brilliant Tharushan Iddamalgoda, which put CDB in a quandary.
At 5 pm, by the 33rd over, light was fading fast and the D&L Method came into contention, CDB 140/ 5, 5 runs ahead of the D&L par score.
But with the fall of Dhanushka Dharmasiri- c & b Sanith de Silva, at 143 and Shaluka Silva ( 7) at 157ct. Sanith de Silva, b. Pramod Maduwantha, CDB fell behind the D& L Method by 14 runs ( 157/ 7 in 39 overs)
Play was suspended at 5.25 pm ( 162/ 7 in 40 overs) and restarted at 5.40 pm. After 2 overs and 5 balls ( 179/ 9 in 42.5 overs), the match was called off at 5.55 pm with CDB short by 23 runs in the D&L Method.
HNB Grameen Finance (HNBG), Central Finance Ltd. (CFL), MAS Bodyline (MASB) and Expolanka Group ( Expolanka) advanced to the Semifinals of the 15th Ceylon Cold Stores PLC., sponsored, ' Elephant House Lemonade' Trophy, MCA ' D' Division 40- Over League Tournament 2018. In the Quarterfinals played last week, HNBG beat David Pieris Motor Co. (DPMC) by 3 wickets, CFL beat Ceylinco Insurance (Ceylinco) by 3 wickets, MASB beat Airport & Aviation (A&A) by 25 runs and Expolanka beat NDB Bank (NDB) by 97 runs.
The batting honours were b a g ged by Madushan Fernando ( DPMC)- 82 vs HNBG, Dinusha Fernando(HNBG) 78 not out vs DPMC, Tharindu Thisanka ( MASB)77 vs A& A and Heshan Hewanayake ( Expolanka)- 70 vs NDB