HNB Assurance emerged undefeated champions of the 8th MCA – Fairfirst ‘F’ division 20 over league cricket tournament and carried away the ‘Fairfirst Trophy’ beating McLarens Group by four wickets at the CCC grounds on Friday evening.
The final which was scheduled to be played under lights, was played as a day game due to the prevailing fuel crisis the country is encountering.
Winning the toss McLarens elected to bat first, a quick fire 77 off 47 balls with seven fours and four sixes from Hasindu Perera and 26 off 22 balls from Lahiru Amarasekera helped them post a defendable 146/8 in their 20 overs. Pasindu Pathum was the pick of the bowlers with a three-wicket haul.
In the chase, HNB Assurance powered by a 34 ball 57 from Dasun Abeywardena [which earned him the Man of the Final award] and a 24 ball 34 from Lahiru Sithpriya achieved the win with an over remaining and four wickets in hand. Inesh Chamikara and Lahiru Amarasekera took two wickets each.
In the play off for the third spot, Tharindu de Silva captured three wickets to restrict Ansell Lanka to 141/8 followed by a captain’s knock of 67 off 39 balls which included seven fours and four sixes from Geeth Sankalpa to see MAS Active cross the line with four balls to spare.
SPECIAL AWARDS:
- Best Bowler of the Tournament – Haindu Maharage [Emerchemie NB] 19 wickets for 118 runs
- Best Batsman of the Tournament – Pasindu Pathum [HNB Assurance] 358 runs
- Player of the Tournament – Pasindu Pathum [HNB Assurance] 358 runs and 10 wickets
- Man of the Final – Dasun Abeywardena [HNB Assurance] 57 runs off 34 balls
Brief scores:
McLarens Group 146/8 in 20 overs [Ethan Ransilige 14, Hasindu Perera 77, Lahiru Amarasekera 26, Shehan Sandaruwan 11; Taariq Naziar1-38, Pasindu Pathum 3-22, Dasis Manchanayake 1-20, Dulanjana Wijesinghe 1-33]
HNB Assurance 151/6 in 19 overs [Abhishek Jayaweera 16, Dasun Abeywardena 57, Lahiru Sithpriya 34, Pasindu Pathum 12, Dulanjana Wijesinghe 13; Shehan Sandaruwan 1-15, Inesh Chamikara 2-38, Lahiru Amarasekera 2-23, Asanka Ranasinghe 1-13]
Tharindu and Geeth clinch third spot for MAS Active
Brief scores:
Ansell Lanka 141/8 in 20 overs [Sajeewa Deshapriya 46, Deshan Silva 38, Kaveesha Sampath 11; Tharindu de Silva 3-23, Dilan Ranathunga 1-30, Geeth Sankalpa 1-22, Ravindu Lakshan 2-28]
MAS Active 144/6 in 19.2 overs [Binara Sanketh 13, Sarindu Gimhana 17, Geeth Sankalpa 67, Tharindu de Silva 23, Dilan Ranathunga 11*, Deshan Silva 1-30, Prabath Dhananjaya 3-13, Chathura Sanjeewa 2-33]
