MCA Com. beat Lanka Cavaliers by 6 wickets, retain ‘Tyrone de Silva’ Trophy

The MCA Committee led by Senior Vice President, Roshan Iddamalgoda, retained the ‘Tyrone de Silva’ Challenge Trophy with a comfortable 6-wicket win over Lanka Cavaliers in their 13th Annual Cricket Encounter 2016 played at the MCA grounds last weekend.

The Lanka Cavaliers sent into bat, had to struggle for runs, as they were shackled by the pace-spin combination of Duminda Pinto (4-0-10-2) and Sirosha Gunatillake (4-1-33-3), and were able to muster 131 runs in 20 overs, mainly due to a 45-run stand for the 5th wicket between Sajeewa de Silva- 30 in 28 balls with 5 fours, and skipper, Nalliah Devarajan- 25 in 15 balls, with a six and 3 fours).

The MCA Committee chasing a target of 133 runs in 20 overs (RPO 6.65) got off to a solid start with their openers, Namal Seneviratne- 50 in 38 balls, 3 sixes and 6 fours, and Punyakantha Abeygunasekera- 53 in 43 balls, 2 sixes and 6 four, put on 82 runs in 11 overs.

Skipper, Deverajan tried 8 bowlers, including himself, for a breakthrough, but was without success, as the MCA Committee romped home to 132 for 3 in 17.1 overs. All 4 special awards went to the MCA-- H.U.U. Buddhima (Best Fielder), Sirosha Gunatillake (Best Bowler), Namal Seneviratne (Best Batsman) and Punyakantha Abeygunasekera (Man-of-the-Match).

The series tally after 13 encounters stands at 8-3 in favour of the MCA Committee, with 1 match ending in a ‘tie’ and 1 ending in a 'No-Result'. Awards were presented by Lanka Cavaliers President, Upali Warnapura, MCA Senior VP, Roshan Iddamalgoda, and Chief Guest, former MCA President and donor of the Trophy, Tyrone de Silva. (Asanga Perera 28, Sajeewa de Silva 30, Nalliah Deverajan 25, Sirosha Gunatillate 3/33, Duminda Pinto 2/10) MCA Committee 132 for 4 (17.1) (Namal Seneviratne 50, Punyakantha Abeygunasekera 53 rtd., Sanjaya Wijesinghe 15)