Richmond Champions League – Kamindu Mendis steers Team Samuels to title victory

Richmond Champions League 2021

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An all-round performance by Kamindu Mendis helped Team Samuels record a convincing 8-wicket win over Team Triggs in the final of the Richmond Champions League T20 cricket tournament played at the Galle International Stadium today (29th December).  

Having won the toss, Team Samuels invited the opposition to take the first lease of the wicket. Team Triggs suffered a major setback early in the innings as they lost the opening batter and skipper Charith Asalanka for no runs in the very first over of the innings.

It was a massive blow for Team Triggs as no other player in the team managed to put up a substantial score on the board and was restricted for 121 runs in 19.3 overs. Avindu Theekshana was the star with the ball for Team Samuels as he bagged 3 scalps for 17 runs.

Read more: Richmond Champions League T20 to begin on 27th December

Chasing a modest score of 122 to win, Team Samuels got off to a strong start thanks to the opening batter Bhanuka Manohara, the leading run-scorer of the tournament, who scored a brisk knock of 49 runs off 36 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes.

The number three batter Sri Lanka capped Kamindu Mendis bettered him with a blistering knock of unbeaten 45 runs off 25 balls with 5 sixes guiding Team Samuels to a comprehensive win.

Final Scores – Team Triggs 121 (19.3) R Wijesiri 22, V Fernando 21, A Theekshana 3/17, K Mendis 2/20, K Nethsara 2/37 lost to Team Samuels 127/2 (13) B Manohara 49, K Mendis 45*

Richmond College Old Boys Association conducted this tournament from 27th December to 29th December by stitching together the Richmond College’s finest current and past Cricketers forming three teams, namely Team Samuel, Team Hartley and Team Triggs.

National Cricketers Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya Lakshan who were past pupils of Richmond College participated in the competition. Another Richmondite Wanindu Hasaranga couldn’t play in the tournament as he is recovering from an injury suffered during the recently concluded Lanka Premier League.

Read more: Lanka Premier League – Team of the Tournament

Each team played four matches in the league stage. Team Samuels advanced to the final topping the points table with 3 wins in 4 games while Team Triggs who finished at 2nd place in the points table with 3 wins in 4 games also found a place in the final.

Teams Matches Won Lost Points Net Run Rate
Team Samuels 4 3 1 12 1.467
Team Triggs 4 3 1 12 1.091
Team Hartleys 4 0 4 0 -2.455