ESoft crowned inaugural Red Bull Campus Cricket Women’s National Finals winners
ESoft Metro Campus were crowned the winners of the inaugural Red Bull Campus Cricket Women’s National Finals, when they comfortably overcame Sky Academy by 61 runs in the grand final, played at the Thurstan College cricket ground yesterday.
In a rain-shortened game, where each side were given 14 overs, Sky Academy won the toss and put ESoft Metro Campus into bat, only to receive a challenging target of 104 runs. National cap Sathya Sandeepani top scored with 18 runs as Janadi Anali contributed with 15 before ESoft Metro Campus were restricted to 103-7.
Fast bowler Lakmali Rajapksa stood out among Sky Academy bowlers by claiming 5 for 7. The lasses from Sky Academy could not get going, ending with just 42 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their allotted 14 overs. Sansala Wanigasekara raked up the top score of the game with a 38-ball 21.
National cap Sathya Sandeepani was named player of the match for her contribution of 2 for 7 with the ball and 18 off 16 with the bat. ESoft were crowned winners of the first ever Red Bull Campus Cricket Women’s National Finals, winning the final by 61 runs. Nimasha Madushani bowled brilliantly to capture two scalps conceding just two runs.
As a prelude to the big finale, exhibition games were scheduled from the first day running up to the finals. In the first exhibition game, ESoft Metro Campus managed to scrape though with a 2-wicket win against the very competitive Wadduwa Central ladies. Wadduwa Central then came back to register a convincing 67-run win against the National Youth Corps. Unfortunately, the game between the Wadduwa Central and Sky Academy, scheduled to be played the day before the final, had to be abandoned due to inclement weather.
Though there was heavy rain in Colombo over the four days of competition, the organisers managed to squeeze in three of the four scheduled matches, which saw a host of new talent shine through.
Red Bull Campus Cricket has had a massive impact on the local cricketing arena and this year, they decided to take a step further by organising the inaugural Red Bull Campus Cricket Women’s National Finals.
ESoft Metro Campus 103 for 7 (14) (Sathya Sandeepani 18, Janadi Anali 15, Lakmali Rajapaksa 5/7)
Sky Academy 42 for 5 (14) (Sansala Wanigasekara 21, Nimasha Madushani 2/2, Sathya Sandeepani 2/7)