MAS Unichela home with a wicket to spare
Unichela batsman Piyumal Perera clean bowled by John Keells bowler Sachintha Peiris - Pic by Ranjith Perera
MAS Unichela had to fight all the way to retain the 26th Singer MCA Premier T20 title over a fighting John Keells Group outfit at the MCA Grounds yesterday.
John Keells skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s decision to bat first backfired as they were dismissed for 90 runs in 15 overs.
From the start John Keells started losing wickets at regular intervals. Ishan Jayaratne 28 with three fours and a six off twenty deliveries and Vikum Sanjaya 25 with three fours and a six in twenty three deliveries were the main scorers.
Evergreen T.M. Dilshan, Nipun Ransika, Dammika Prasad, Kamindu Mendis and Shehan Madusanka shared the wickets.
Chasing the victory target MAS Unichela too failed to start on the right foot as T.M. Sampath was dismissed with the total at 15 and the second wicket falling at 17. In walked T.M. Dilshan and making use of his experience he started to build up a match winning inning and was shaping well, but too soon was dismissed with the total at 4 for 40. From there onward MAS lost wickets in quick succession and was troubled more with the introduction of off spinner Sachintha Peiris in the 12th over who captured two quick wickets in two balls to make the reigning champs in a spot of bother at 8 for 74. When Ramith Rambukwella was shaping well at the other end Ishan Jayaratne bowled him with a fine delivery – 9 for 75.
Nipun Ransika put MAS back in the game with a towering six over long on to make the scoreboard read 9 for 84 and another six over extra cover by Ransika took MAS home off Peiris with 4.4 overs to spare.
Nipun Ransika was adjudged the Man of the Finals and the Best Bowler of the tournament while Shehan Jayasuriya of LB Finance was picked the Bast Batsman of the Tournament.
Chief Scores
John Keells ‘A’ 90 (15) (Ishan Jayaratne 28, Vikum Sanjaya 25, T.M. Dilshan 2 for 8, Nipun Ransika 2 for 18, Dammika Prasad 3 for 20)
MAS Unichela 92 for 9 (15.2) (T.M. Sampath 12, T.M. Dilshan 17, Ramith Rambukwella 16, Nipun Ransika 14 n.o., Ishan Jayaratne 3 for 24, Sachintha Peiris 3 for 15)