Three MCA (Mercantile Cricket Association) matches were conducted on 10th Saturday as all the corporate teams are eyeing their place in the upcoming play-offs.
MCA A Division – Sampath Bank vs Seylan Bank
Nuwan Perera excelled both in bat and ball as Sampath Bank defeated Seylan Bank by 45 runs at MCA grounds.
Batting first, Sampath Bank managed to score 230 runs. Samin Kandenarchchi top-scored with an excellent 52 while experienced opener Shantha Kalavitigoda contributed with 48. Nuwan Perera made a quick-fire 40. Left-arm spinner Gayan Sirisoma scalped 2 wickets.
Chasing 231 runs to win, Seylan Bank succumbed to the scoreboard pressure as they were bowled out for 185. Chanaka Wijesinghe and Tharanga Paranavithana shined with the bat but their efforts went in vain. Dilhara Lokuhettige and Nuwan Perera took 3 wickets apiece.
Sampath Bank – 230 all out in 45.5 overs: Samin Kandanarachchi 52, Shantha Kalavitigoda 48, Nuwan Perera 40, Gayan Sirisoma 2/45 , Chanaka Wijesinghe 2/27, Pramodya Abeykoon 2/38.
Seylan Bank – 185 all out in 48 overs: Tharanga Paranavithana 48, Chanaka Wijesinghe 58, Dilhara Lokuhettige 3/15, Nuwan Perera 3/29.
MCA A Division – John Keells Holdings vs Hatton National Bank
Former Peterite, Akshu Fernando’s counter-attacking knock of 87 helped JKH chase down 271 against HNB at FTZ Katunayake grounds.
The bankers posted a healthy 270 runs on the board losing only 5 wickets. Bloomfield batsman, Madawa Warnapura top-scored with an unbeaten 79 while Kosala Kulasekara who recently played a part in a Bollywood movie made 59.
Chasing a stiff target, former Royalist, Bhanuka Rajapakse gave an early impetus with a sound 61 but the right-handed Akshu finished off the job with his unbeaten innings which gave his team a 3-wicket victory. Left-arm spinner, Sajeewa Weerakoon bagged a 4-wicket haul.
Hatton National Bank – 270/5 in 50 overs: Deshan Dias 40, Madawa Warnapura 79*, Kosala Kulasekara 59, Banuka Rajapakshe 2/23.
John Keells Holdings – 271/7 in 47.1 overs: Banuka Rajapakshe 61, Akshu Fernando 87*, Sajeewa Weerakoon 4/35, Kosala Kulasekara 2/61.
MCA B Division – LB Finance vs Textured Jersey
Right-arm off-spinner Rajeewa Weerasinghe and right-hand batsman Anushka Perera guided LB Finance to a massive 80-run win (D/L method) over Textured Jersey at BOI grounds in Katunayake.
The rain limited the game to a 28-over affair. LB Finance blasted 184 for 7 in their allotted quota of overs. Perera scored 4 sixes and 3 fours in his 49-ball 62 while Chathuranga Kumara made a blistering 36 in 27 deliveries.
Chasing a tough target, Textured Jersey failed to build a solid innings. Skipper Rajeewa bowled excellently to rattle the strong Textured Jersey batting lineup taking 4 wickets for just 14 runs. They were 95 for 8 in 27 overs when the umpires ended the game due to bad light.
LB Finance – 184/7 in 28 overs: Anushka Perera 62*, Chathuranga Kumara 36, Ramesh Mendis 3/40.
Textured Jersey – 95/8 in 27 overs: Nilushan Nonis 46, Rajeewa Weerasinghe 4/14, Ranitha Liyanarachchi 2/11.
