MCA Cricket: Centuries for Nimesh and Sadeem in Division 'E'

Nimesh Fernando from Asia Asset Finance and Sadeem Thawfeeq from Virtusa took the spotlight, as the first centurions in the ongoing 15th David Pieris Group of Companies sponsored, 'DPGC' Challenge Trophy, MCA 'E' division 30-over League Tournament 2017. 

Opener Nimesh Fernando carried his bat out after hitting a hurricane unbeaten 123 which included six sixes and fifteen fours, as he steered Asia Asset Finance to a fine 58 runs win over Vallibel Finance. 

Nimesh Fernando together with Shashika Pussegolla (88 in 57 balls with six sixes and eight fours) put on 175 runs in 84 deliveries for the third wicket, as Asia Asset amassed to 246 for 3 in 30 overs.

Vallibel Finance were all out for 188 in 29 overs helped by the 81 runs stand between Sandun Sampath (87) and Dhananjaya Perera (40).

The other centurion, another opener, Virtusa’s Sadeem Thawfeeq too carried his bat out after scoring a well compiled 109 not out off 101 balls inclusive of a six and 17 fours. 

Thawfeeq was associated in a 110 runs stand in 92 balls for the 3rd wicket with Udesh Sendanayake (44), helping Virtusa to go over the 200 runs mark and beat HSBC 'A' convincingly by 64 runs. 

The bowling honours were bagged by Softlogic Finance paceman, Praneeth Gunaratne and MAS Active 'B' Dhanushka Tennakoon. 

Praneeth Gunaratne finished with exceptional figures of 6-0-16-5, but his effort did not bear fruit for Softlogic, as Eagle Logistics snatched a heart stopping one wicket win, after recovering from 37 for 5 in 8.3 overs.

CW Mackie making a comeback to mercantile cricket scene after quite some time was demoralised by MAS Active 'B' bowler, Dhanushka Tennakoon with impressive spell of 6-1-21-5.

MAS Active 'B' went on to win by a massive margin of 121 runs, riding on three half centuries scored by Nuwan Rajapaksa (54), Shalindra Perera (84 in 56 balls, inclusive of four sixes and ten fours) and Duleeka Brahakmanage (66). 

Ansell Lanka gave away 20 runs in wide deliveries thus paving the way for Nawaloka Hospitals to run away with one wicket win in the last ball. 

A gritty 101 runs 5th wicket stand in 74 balls between G. Wickramasinghe (42) and J. Lawrence (53) and good rear guard action by tailender. 

D. Weerasinghe (48 not out ) gave DFCC Bank a fighting three wickets win over Assetline Leasing. 

A well hit half century by opener, Dinesh Vindyaka (50 in 45 balls, two sixes and six fours) and good bowling spells by Sampath Perera (3/25), Roshan Navis (3/25) and Dilhara de Silva (3/38) gave Dialog Axiata 'A' a close 10 runs win over UB Finance. 

The lowest team total came from Regnis Lanka, who were shot out for a paltry 72 runs in 22.5 overs to hand over HNB Grameen Finance a 'Cake Walk' nine wickets win. 

Match Results: 

Mattegoda /afternoon: Dialog Axiata 'A' beat UB Finance by 10 runs 
Dialog 'A' 185 all out (29.2) (D. Vindyaka 50, B. Ekanayake 26, D. de Silva 31, M. Wattegedera 26, Shayamal Perera 20, B. Jayamanne 2/19, A. Perera 2/27, S. Kalhan 3/41, S. Seneviratne 2/16)
UBF 175 all out (29.2) (A. Perera 52, M. Jayawickrama 41, S. Kalhan 29, S. Perera 3/27, R. Nevis 3/25, D. de Silva 3/35) 

Campbell Park /Morning: Asia Asset Finance beat Vallibel Finance by 56 runs 
AAF 246/3 (30) (Nimesh Fernando 123 not out, S. Pussegolla 80 ) 
Vallibel Finance 188 all out (29) (S. Sampath 87, D. Perera 40, N. Niroshan 2/37, N. Perera 3/39, D. de Silva 3/37)

Campbell Park/afternoon: Virtusa beat HSBC 'A' by 64 runs 
Virtusa 206 all out (30) (Sadeem Thawfeeq 109 not out, U. Senanayake 44, S. Subasinghe 4/26) 
HSBC 'A' 142/8 (30) (T. Wijesuriya 37, M. Rukshan 37 not out, A. Kaluarachchi 32, L. Liyanage 2/17, R. Samarasinghe 3/30) 

Panadura /morning: MAS Active 'B' beat CW Mackie by 121 runs 
MAS Active 'B' 244/8 (30) (N. Rajapaksa 54, Salindra Perera 84, D. Brahakmanage 66, N. Nuwansera 4/43)
CW Mackie 123 all out (26.5) (S. Suranga 30, N. Nuwansera 25, Dhanushka Tennakoon 5/21, Shalindra Perera 2/6) 

Panadura/afternoon: HNB Grameen beat Regnis Lanka by 9 wickets 
Regnis 72 all out (22.5) (R. Jayatillake 25, D. Sandaruwan 2/9, J. Perera 2/21, C. Ratnayake 2/19) 
HNB Grameen 75/1 (15.1) (P. Perera 30, S. Fernando 20, M. Fernando 20 not out) 

Moratuwa/morning: DFCC Bank beat Assetline Leasing by 3 wickets 
Assetline 206/6 (30) (S. Weerasinghe 26, S. Ratnayake 20, K. Buddika 22, M. Bandara 53, R. Fernando 39 not out, L. Liyanage 2/20) 
DFCC 210/7 (27.3) (C. Wickramasinghe 42, J. Lawrence 53, D. Weerasinghe 48 n.o., M. Bandara 3/26, M. Dilan 3/53) 

Moratuwa/afternoon: Noyon Lanka beat Pizza Hut by 50 runs 
Noyon Lanka 216/9 (30) (C. Samanpriya 76, K. Jayaratne 28, C. Saman 33, R. Wasantha 21, I. Mohamed 2/32, S. de Zoysa 2/37, E. Kumara 2/33) 
Pizza Hut 166 all out (27.5) (N. Shanuka 23 not out, D. Ratnayake 21, K. Siriwardena 4/39, K. Jayaratne 2/34) 

Veyangoda /morning: Nawaloka Hospitals beat Ansell Lanka by 1 wicket 
Ansell 164/9 (30) (P. Dhananjaya 37, S. Harshana 20, D. Silva 22, S. Perusinghe 22, U.A. Morais 2/30, K. Harshana 3/29, D. Ranush 2/20) 
Nawaloka 166/9 (26.4) (G. Sameera 25, U.A. Moraias 27, D. Ranush 24 not out, C. Madusanka 2/30, A. Pradeep 4/32, S. Perusinghe 2/30) 

Veyangoda /afternoon: Eagle Logistics beat Softlogic Finance by 1 wicket 
Softlogic 148 all out (25.5) (M. Wijetillake 32, R. Mendis 40, S. Kumara 27, M. Dinesh 2/15, P. Ranaweera 2/17, I. Dilshan 4/34) 
Eagle Logistics 149/9 (27.2) (R. Divakaran 47, P. Gunaratne 5/16, A. Rajapaksa 3/34)