Ranasinghe match-winner as HNB win final in a cliff-hanger
Asia Asset's Denesh Rodrigo hit 45
Middle-order batsman, Suleka Ranasinghe steered HNBÂ Finance (HNB Grameen) to a heart-stopping 1-wicket win with 4 balls left, over Asia Asset Finance (Asia Asset), in the 15th David Pieris Group of Companies sponsored ‘DPGC’ Challenge TrophyMCA ‘E’ Division, 30-Over League Tournament 2017 Final at the MCA Grounds last Saturday.
Ranasinghe sent Asia Asset on a leather hunt with a belligerent 67 runs off 30 balls, which included 2 towering sixes and 10 boundaries, in a final where fortunes swung from side to side, till the last over.
Asia Asset won the toss and batted, to finish with a respectable 188 runs in 30 overs (RPO 6.27), built on a 45-ball 62 runs 4th-wicket stand between, Shashrika Pussegolla (29) and Dennis Rodrigo (45 in 77 balls, inclusive of 4 sixes and 2 fours). HNB Grameen’s 3 medium pacemen, Suleka Ranasinghe (6-0-27-2), Dinusha Fernando (6-0 -39 -2) and Amila Herath (5-0-28-2) were the pick of the pack.
HNB Grameen in reply was poorly placed at the halfway stage, having mustered only 69 runs for the loss of 2 wickets, shackled by Asia Asset bowlers, Promod Fernando, Nimesh Perera and Nimesh Fernando. At the fall of the 4th wicket at 73 (16.1 overs), Suleka Ranasinghe strode in and took the bowling by the scruff of its neck, and accelerated the score to 155 for 6 in 24.2 overs.
Asia Asset opening bowler, Vinod Perera, who got hammered for 19 runs in his 1st 2 overs, came back in the 25th over, and clean bowled Ranasinghe. He followed it up with 2 more wickets in the 27th over, to give his team a sniff of victory (164/8 in 26.2 overs)
The spectators were on the edge of their seats as HNB Grameen needed 25 runs in 22 balls, with only 2 wickets standing.
HNB's Amila Herath claimed two wickets - Pix by Ranjith Perera
No.8 batsman, Dhanushka Sandaruwan (22 not out in 11 balls with a six and 3 fours ) bravely spearheaded the final charge, as he hit Shashrika Pussegolla for a massive six over long off and followed it up with a sizzling boundary through point, in the first 2 balls of the last over, giving his team the first MCA title with 1-wicket in hand and 4 balls to spare (190 for 9 in 29.2 overs)
Match Referee, Chandana Mahesh had no hesitation in naming Suleka Ranasinghe of HNB Grameen, as Man of the Match.
The other Special awards, based on performances in the Group and elimination stages, went to Dinesh Seneviratne of Mercantile Investments Ltd.- Best Bowler (8 matches, 44 overs, 204 runs, 20 wickets, Avg. 10.2 , Econ. 4.68, Best 5 for 20 vs Nawaloka Group); Iresh Shamika Fernando of Finlays Colombo- Best Batsman(6 innings, 399 runs, Avg. 66.5, inclusive of a century and 3 half-centuries, Best 124 vs Noyon Lanka); Shashrika Pussegolla of Asia Asset- Man of the Series (Batting: 7 innings 377 runs, 3 not outs, Avg. 94.25 with 1 century and 2 half-centuries, Best 132 vs Bimputh Finance; Bowling: 7 matches, 36.3 overs, 196 runs, 20 wickets, Avg. 9.8, Econ 5.4, Best 6 for 18 vs LOLC)
The awards were presented by Chief Guest, General Manager Operations- Assetline Leasing Co. Ltd., Ajantha Premasiri, Guest-of-Honour, Deputy General Manager- Parts & Accessories, David Pieris Motor Co. Ltd., Manjula de Alwis, Senior VP/MCA, Roshan Iddamalgoda and Chairman T/C, MCA, Sujeewa de Silva.
SCORES
Asia Asset Finance 188 all out (30) (Nimesh Perera 38, S. Pussegolla 29, Denesh Rodrigo 45; Suleka Ranasinghe 2/27, Dinisha Fernando 2/39, Amila Herath 2/28)
HNB Grameen Finance 190 for 9 (29.2) (Muditha Fernando 25, Suleka Ranasinghe 67, Dhanushka Sandaruwan 22 n.o.; Vinod Perera 4/35, Nimesh Fernando 2/27)