Tail-ender Bandara hits Heshan Flex out of the park
Assetline Leasing, Amana Bank, Nippon Paint, Toll Global, LB Finance ‘B’, Lankem Ceylon, Brandix and Star Lanka Shipping advanced to the quarter-finals, in the ongoing Fourth Stafford Motor Co. sponsored, ‘Honda’ Trophy, MCA Division ‘G’ 25-Over League Tournament.
Sahan Galappaththi of Assetline Leasing
The stage of 16, first round matches took place last weekend.
Assetline Leasing’s tail-ender, Sanjaya Bandara hit a pulsating half century (50 not out in 15 balls inclusive of eight sixes) to eliminate the high riding Heshan Flex, beating them by 25 runs; Heshan Flex tasted their first defeat after seven wins on the trot.
A solid 90 runs for the second wicket by M. Rikaz (55 in 50 balls with two sixes and seven fours) and Ramesh Fernando (73 in 67 balls with two sixes and a dozen fours) put Amana Bank on the right side of the ledger with a thrilling 6-wicket win over CIC with five balls to spare.
An unbeaten third wicket stand between W.D.D. Manoj (52 not out) and Heshan de Silva (81 not out in 53 balls inclusive of seven sixes and six fours) spearheaded Nippon Paint to a colourful 7-wicket win over Vallibel Finance.
Opener, Jude Dillon carried his bat out after hitting an aggressive 92 not out in 56 balls, inclusive of two sixes and fifteen fours and put on 160 runs for the second wicket with T. Madusanka (57 not out) in the process, as Toll Global took heavy toll on Citi Bank NA by 9 wickets.
LB Finance ‘B’ proved too strong for Hirdaramani’s with a crushing 80 runs win.
Lankem Ceylon riding on a stylish 71 in 54 balls, inclusive of three sixes and eight fours by Malith Cooray, beat DSI by 42 runs.
Brandix registered a comfortable 60-run win over Nations Trust Bank ‘B’ helped by an unbroken stand of 130 runs in 77 balls for the sixth wicket, between A.D. Indunil (78 not out in 54 balls with five sixes and seven fours) and K.D.U.D. Kumara (66 in 42 balls two sixes and ten fours).
Gayan Mendis hit a sterling 74 in 58 balls, studded with three sixes and nine fours, as Star Lanka Shipping sailed to a 6-wicket win over Jetwing Travels; thus Mendis over shadowed Dilukshan Perera’s lone effort of 93 in 62 balls with six sixes and nine fours for the losing side, Jetwing Travels.
The Quarter-finals line-up (at MCA grounds this weekend): Assetline Leasing vs. Amana Bank, Nippon Paint vs. Toll Global, LB Finance ‘B’ vs. Lankem Ceylon and Brandix vs. Star Lanka Shipping Round of 16 Match Results:
MCA/morning: Assetline Leasing beat Heshan Flex by 25 runs
Assetline Leasing 173/7 (25) (G. Roshan 25, C. Wijekoon 20, S. Galappaththi 35, Sanjaya Bandara 50n.o, S. Nadeesh 4/7)
Heshan Flex 148/9 (25) (G. Prasanga 42, G. Madubashan 35, M. Gannila 3/30, S. Galappaththi 3/25)
MCA/afternoon: Amana Bank beat CIC by 6 wickets
CIC 173/8 (25) (S. Jayasuriya 25, K. Sameera 55, D. Kumara 25n.o, S. Madusanka 4/19, M. Zoysa 3/43)
Amana Bank 174/4 (24.1) (M. Rikaz 55, Romesh Fernando 73, N. Balasuriya 2/29)
Ananda Mawatha/morning: Nippon Paint beat Vallibel Finance by 7 wickets
Gayan Prasanga top scored for Heshan Flex with a knock of 42 - Pix by Ranjith Perera
Vallibel Finance 155 (24.5) (C. Hettiarachchi 48, R. Jayawardena 25, W. Warnapura 3/24, R. Wickramarachchi 2/25, Heshan de Silva 3/22)
Nippon Paint 158/3 (22.1) (W.D. Manoj 52n.o, Heshan de Silva 81n.o, A. Nanayakkara 2/25)
Ananda Mawatha/afternoon: Toll Global beat Citi Bank NA by 9 wickets
Citi Bank NA 159/8 (25) (S. Jayawardena 35, S. Patterson 25, M. Galagoda 20, M. Askar 2/35, L. Madusha 2/13)
Toll Global 165/1 (18.3) (Jude Dillon 92n.o, T. Madusanka 57n.o.)
MCA/morning: LB Finance ‘B’ beat Hirdaramani’s by 80 runs
LBF ‘B’ 187/8 (25) (Charith Fernando 58, Lakshan Rodrigo 30, L. Perera 30, M. Senerath 2/30, H. Madushanka 2/40, A. Dissanayake 2/32)
Hirdaramani’s 107 (21.2) (C. Arunakumara 25, J. Arumpan 3/20, Lakshan Rodrigo 2/17, G. de Silva 3/13)
MCA/afternoon: Lankem Ceylon beat DSI by 42 runs
Lankem 184/8 (25) (T. Indika 25, Malith Cooray 71, A. Rukshantha 2/25)
DSI 142 (24.4) (S. Gunawardena 21, T. Medagedera 31, M. Perera 2/30, U. Lakmal 3/34, D. Sandagirigoda 2/39)
Ananda Mawatha/morning: Brandix beat Nations Trust Bank ‘B’ by 60 runs
Brandix 212/6 (25) (A.D. Indunil 78n.o, K.D.U.D. Kumara 66, N. Madusinghe 3/50)
NTB ‘B’ 152/9 (25) (C. de Silva 35, T. Dabare 26, A.D. Indunil 3/30, S. Ellawela 3/35)
Ananda Mawatha/afternoon: Star Lanka Shipping beat Jetwing Travels by 6 wickets (match reduced to 22 overs a side, due to wet ground conditions)
Jetwing Travels 165/6 (22) (Dilukshan Perera 93, D. Wijesinghe 2/30, D. Hemantha 2/33)
Star Lanka 169/4 (19.1) (Gayan Mendis 74, S. Thushanka 35, S. Kumara 28n.o, S. Krishnan 2/40)