Cricket: Champs Mast Far East 2nd time lucky at Apparel T20 Premier League

Fighting every inch of the way, Mast Far East (Mast), last year’s Runners-up, dethroned defending champions Brandix Essentials (Brandix), beating them by 3 wickets with 3 deliveries to spare, in the final of the 3rd Apparel T-20 Premier League 2017. 

In the playoff for 3rd place, Bodyline (Pvt) Ltd. (Bodyline), cruised to a 153-runs win over a jaded Coutaulds Clothing (Coutaulds) team. 

In the final that followed, Brandix, sent into bat, scored 144 for 9 in 20 overs, riding on a 65-runs partnership in 38 balls, for the 4th wicket between Hashan Madushanka (51 in 26 balls, with 3 sixes and 6 fours) and opener Shan Nilaksha (38). 

Earlier on, Nilaksha was engaged in a 45-runs opening stand in 49 balls with Kasun Ishara (25), Mast off-spinner, Sampath Herath accounted for the valuable wickets of Brandix openers, Nilaksha and Ishara, along with No.3 Udaya Dushan for a duck, thus finishing with impressive figures of 4-0-18-3. 

Mast chasing a victory target of 145 in 20 overs (@ 7.25 per over) was comfortably placed at the end of the 10th over, at 92 for 3. 

Brandix Skipper, Amila Prabath, who opened the bowling and took himself off after 1 over, came back in the 12th over and completely changed the complex of the game with a hat-trick maiden. 

His 1st victim was Mast’s star batsman, Rasika Wickramaratne (15) caught and bowled in the 1st ball. 

He then clean bowled Nuwan Anthony and had Hashan Hirantha caught behind, while the other 3 deliveries were dot balls. 

But the steady batting of opener, Bimal de Silva (31 in 20 balls, with 1 six and 5 fours) and No.3 Aravinda Rajapaksa (25 in 14 balls with 1 six and 3 fours) before the debacle, held in good stead for Mast, as they needed 48 runs in 48 balls with 4 wickets in hand. 

Diminutive Kasun Fernando 29 in 31 balls, with 4 fours and big-made Sajeeka Jayawardena 15 not out in 20 balls with 1 four, bravely held the fort by putting on 36 runs for the 7th wicket, thus clearing the road for Mast to post an exciting 3-wickets win with 3 deliveries to spare. 

Special Awards (excluding the Final) 

Best Bowler: Sampath Herath (Mast Far East) 

Best Batsman: Ramindu Nadeeshan (Coutaulds Clothing) 

Man of the Series: Aravinda Rajapaksa (Mast Far East) 

Special Awards for the Final, Adjudged by Match Referee S.M. Faumi 

Best Bowler: Amila Prabath (Brandix) 

Best Batsman: Hashan Madushanka (Brandix) 

Man of the Match: Kasun Fernando (Mast) 

Results: 

3rd Place Playoff: Bodyline beat Coutaulds by 153 runs 
Bodyline 227/5 (20) (W. Neranjan 65, T. Thivanka 53, S. Haputhanthri 36, G. Ratnakumara 33 n.o.) 
Coutaulds 74 all out (17.2) (P. Wickramasinghe 20; S. Haputhanthri 2/25, G. Sepalage 2/8, A. Ishan 2/4) 

Final: Mast beat Brandix by 3 wickets 
Brandix 144/9 (20) (Shan Nilaksha 38, Kasun Ishara 25, Hashan Madushanka 51; Sampath Herath 3/18) 
Mast 145/7 (19.3) (Bimal de Silva 31, Aravinda Rajapaksa 25, Kasun Fernando 29; Amila Prabath 3/18)