HNB Grameen outplay Expolanka to clinch title
Man of the Match Skipper Habeebul Ismath leads from the front
HNB Grameen skipper receiving the Lemonade Trophy
HNB Grameen Finance with a magnificent display of fielding, coasted to a comfortable 89-runs win over Expolanka Group in the 15th Ceylon Cold Stores PLC sponsored, ‘Elephant House-Lemonade’ Trophy, MCA ‘D’ Division 40-Over League Tournament Final 2018, at the MCA Grounds last Sunday.
HNB Grameen, with Habeebul Ismath leading from the front, hounded the Expolanka batsmen like a pack of terriers, from the very first delivery, thus putting them under severe pressure.
Expolanka chasing 200 runs to win in their 40-Overs, lost their prolific opening batsman, Dharshana Hettiarachchi (325 runs) for 1 run (1/1).
Habeebul Ismath then went into action with a brilliant direct throw to run out Sankalpa Vaas (1) and followed it up with a superb catch to dismiss Lahiru Madusanka (1), and then ran out Tharindu Roshan (6) with another bulls-eye throw – 4 down for 9 runs, to signal Expolanka’s point of no return. Ismath continued his annihilation by taking 2 more catches and bowled 7.3 overs bagging 2 wickets for 20 runs as Expolanka folded up for a paltry 110 runs in the 36th over. MCA appointed Match Referee SL Army’s Thusitha Karunaratne had no hesitation nominating Ismath as Man of the Match.
Earlier on, HNB Grameen Finance sent into bat, got off to a sensational start with their openers, Damith Perera (32 in 28 balls, with 4 fours) and Nadun Dharshana (59 in 69 balls with 1 six and 8 fours) putting on 90 runs in 76 balls. Expolanka fought back gamely with their spin twins, Aravinda Vithanarachchi (8-1-22-4) and Lahiru Madusanka (4-0-20-3) operating in tandem, to have HNB Grameen all out for 199 runs in 37.1 overs.
Suleka Kasun Ranasinghe going in at No.7, took his series tally to 387 runs with a useful 37 runs in 30 balls, with 3 sixes and 3 fours.
Three Special Awards, based on performances in the League stage, Quarterfinals and Semifinals were Best Bowler Eranda Seneviratne (NDB Bank)- 39-14-265-21, Best Batsman Dinusha Fernando (HNB Grameen Finance)- 328 runs and Man-of-the Series Suleka Kasun Ranasinghe (HNB Grameen Finance)- 350 runs and 13 wickets for 165 runs)
Awards were presented by Nadina Fernando, Marketing Manager, EH Beverages, Ceylon Cold Stores PLC (Chief Guest), Punnyakantha Abeygunasekera, Asst. Manager/Technical, Ceylon Cold Stores PLC (Guest of Honour), Roshan Iddamalgoda, President, Nalin Wickremasinghe, General Secretary & Sujeewa de Silva, Chairman , Tournament Committee – all from MCA.
Scores
- HNB Grameen Finance 199 (37.1) (Nandun Dharshana 59, Suleka Ranasinghe 37, Damith Lakshan 32, Heshitha Gamage 22; Aravinda Vithanarachchi 4/22, Lahiru Madushanka 3/20)
- Expolanka Group 110 (35.3) (Krishanth Nathan 32, Rusthan Miskin 20 n.o., Hashan Hewanayake 17, Madawa Fernando 14; Janith Perera 3/20, Dinusha Fernando 2/13, Habeebul Ismath 2/20)