BMS Sri Lanka cruise through to final
The BMS Sri Lanka team celebrating their semi-final victory
Business Management School (BMS) Sri Lanka cruised through to the final of the 5th Red Bull Cricket Campus (RBCC) World Cup when they defeated defending champions Assupol Tuks Cricket University of Pretoria, South Africa (ATC UOP) by six wickets in the first semi-final played in the morning session at the Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday. BMS Sri Lanka chasing a challenging target of 180 runs coasted to victory with six balls to spare. In fact ATC UOP South Africa are the RBCC champions for the last two years and was the hot favourite to win the title for the third time.
BMS batsmen were well settled
It was Manoj Sarathchandra who made an unbeaten 47 in 33 balls with a boundary and three sixes and Janith Liyanage who hit 43 in 33 balls with two boundaries and three sixes dashed the hopes of the defending champions. The pair associated in a match winning 74 runs for the fourth wicket after openers Niroshan Dickwella and Geshan Wimaladharma gave the side a sound start putting on 47 runs. Geshan was also involved in another valuable partnership that of 46 runs for the second wicket with Manoj and at the halfway stage of the innings they were making smooth progress with the score on 99 for 3.
Earlier ATC UOP South Africa taking first lease of the wicket got off to a sedate start with their openers Murray Coetzee and Gerry Pike adding 30 runs and then Pike and Evan Jones putting on 31 runs for the second wicket. Jones and Tony de Zorzi associated in a 52 runs for the third wicket before they were separated with the dismissal of Jones who made a quick fire 23 ball knock of 51 that included three boundaries and four sixes. They underwent a setback losing two quick wickets for the addition of17 runs before Rubin Hermann and Thomas Kaber put on an unbroken 49 runs for the sixth wicket helping the side to end with a challenging score of 179 for 5 which ultimately proved to be in vain.
BMS Sri Lanka will now meet the winners of the second semi-final between University of Punjab Pakistan and University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. The final is slotted to be played at 2.00 p.m. at the same venue today Semi-final 1: BMS Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets ATC UOP South Africa 179 for 5 in 20 overs (Evan Jones 51, Gerry Pike 29, Murray Coetzee 18, Tony de Zorzi 17, Rubin Hermann 20 n.o., Thomas Kaber 20 n.o.: Shehan Jayasuriya 2 for 27) BMS Sri Lanka 181 for 4 in 19 overs (Janith Liyanage 43, Geshan Wimaladharma 32, Niroshan Dickwella 31, Manoj Sarathchandra 47 n.o.)