The Business Management School (BMS), Sri Lanka beat the University of Pretoria (UOP) in the first semi-finals of the Red Bull Inter Campus Cricket- World Finals tournament.
The Sri Lankan team will meet the Bangladeshi outfit, University of Liberal Arts (UOLA) in the finals of the tournament, tomorrow (11th September) from 2 pm onwards at the Galle International Stadium.
BMS, upon winning the toss, asked the title-favourites from African continent to bat first. The University of Pretoria managed to score 179 for the loss of 5 wickets in their respective 20 overs. Half centurion Evan Jones, and Gerry Pike who scored 29 helped the South Africans put up their team total. Off-spinner Shehan Jayasuriya recorded figures of 2 for 27. Bhanuka Rajapaksha and Devind Pathmanathan bagged a wicket each.
The hosts Captain Niroshan Dickwella and Geshan Wimaladharma had an impressive 47-run opening stand. Dickwella was the first to fall scoring a quick 13-ball 31 runs. Wimaladharma managed to score 32 runs before he was caught off the bowling of Thomas Kaber.
A 74-run partnership for the 3rd wicket by Manoj Sarathchandra and Janith Liyanage steered the match away from South Africa. Top scorer, Sarathchandra made an unbeaten 47 off 33 balls, and was rewarded with the man of the match title. Liyanage’s supportive innings put him on a score of 43 before his was run out by the South Africans.
Vincent Moore, Willie Ludick, and Thomas Kaber topped the bowling department for South Africa with one wicket each. Sri Lanka recorded a comprehensive 6 wicket victory, beating the two-time defending champions, University of Pretoria with 6 balls to spare.
UOP- 179/5 in 20 overs- Evan Jones 51 (23), Gerry Pike 29 (22), Shehan Jayasuriya 2/27, Banuka Rajapaksha 1/39
BMS: 181/4 in 20 overs- Manoj Sarathchandra 47 (33), Janith Liyanage 43 (33), Thomas Kaber 1/28, Willie Ludick 1/24.
Incidentally, Captain Niroshan Dickwella, top performer Shehan Jayasuriya and Bhanuka Rajapakse will not be available for the final due to Mercantile ‘A’ division commitments but they will be boosted by the presence of in-form Sri Lanka opener Dhananjaya De Silva and hard-hitting all-rounder Dasun Shanaka.
Results of the second semi-final:
University of Liberal Arts (UOLA) – Bangladesh vs University of Central Punjab (UOCP) – Pakistan
UOCP: 152/8 in 20 overs- Tayab Tahir 60 (41), Junaid Ali 30 (18), Mahbubur Rahman 3/14, Arifur Rahman 2/30
UOLA: 155/8 in 19.2 overs- MD Hasanuzzaman 35 (17), Maraj Niloy 28 (23), Aftab Azwer 2/32, Ali Sultan 2/37
University of Liberal Arts – Bangladesh won by 2 wickets
, Sri Lanka beat the University of Pretoria (UOP) in the first semi-finals of the Red Bull Inter Campus Cricket- World Finals tournament.){kind=link}