MCA Cricket: Division 'F' semi-finals on Saturday

The semi-finals of the MCA Division 'F' 25-over League Cricket Tournament 2016 will be played this Saturday (16).

The two semi-finals will be played between HNB ‘B’ and Heshan Flex Packaging at Mattegoda and MJF Exports and Nippon Paint at the MCA ground in Colombo. 

HNB ‘B’, Heshan Flex Packaging, MJF Exports and Nippon Paint booked their berths for the semi-finals, in the first Commercial Credit and Finance PLC sponsored tournament last Saturday (9).

In the quarter-finals, HNB ‘B’ beat HSBC ‘C’ by 6 wickets, Heshan Flex beat Janashakthi Insurance by 105 runs, MJF Exports beat EB Creasey by 8 wickets and Nippon Paint edged out Hayleys Group ‘B’ by 2 runs.

HNB ‘B’ chasing a moderate total of 151 runs set up by HSBC ‘C’, finished on the right side of the ledger, riding on the well compiled innings of their opening batsman, Malindu Perera, who carried his bat out after scoring 75 not out in 62 balls, hitting 13 fours in the process.

Heshan Flex number nine batsman, Ruwan Ranasinghe performed an unbelievable feat of remaining 68 not out in 30 balls inclusive of six sixes and an equal number of fours. 

Heshan Flex, batting first was in spot of bother, losing seven wickets for 115 runs in 16 overs. Ranasinghe held the tail, as Heshan Flex finished with a challenging total of 209 for 8 in 25 overs.

Half centuries by opener, Krishan Rajendra (67 not out in 58 balls, with two sixes and six fours) and number four batsman, Sanjeewa Silva (50 not out in 29 balls, with 4 sixes and 4 fours) guided MJF Exports to their comfortable win over EB Creasey, with nearly five overs to spare.

A 90-run partnership for the third wicket in 65 balls, between opener Tharanga Indika (86 in 70 balls, inclusive of three sixes and six fours) and Malith Cooray (40) and a stingy spell of bowling by Naveen Kavikara (5-30–4) gave Nippon Paint a heart stopping two runs win over Hayleys Group ‘B’.

Hayleys chasing 191 runs to win got off to a good start with opener Thilan Pathberiya (73 in 57 balls with four sixes and six fours) setting the pace being engaged in a 76 runs opening stand with Ranil Cooray (35) and 55 runs for the second wicket with Thilina Silva (25). 

When the trio was back in the pavilion, Hayleys needed 60 runs to win in 47 balls and eventually needed 11 runs in the last over with the last pair standing. 

Malith Perera who bowled that over gave away eight runs in his first four balls and then clean bowled number ten batsman, Shanon Lee (15) in his next delivery, thus Nippon Paint finishing the job, scrapping the bottom by two runs with a ball to spare.

Results of quarter-finals:

1st QF at Wesley: HNB ‘B’ beat HSBC ‘C’ by 6 wickets

HSBC ‘C’150 all out (25) (Dulanga Lakmal 41, S. Patterson 31, D. Panditharatne 3/27)

HNB ‘B’ 151 for 4 wickets (21.3) (Malindu Perera 75n.o.)

2nd QF at MCA: Heshan Flex Packaging beat Janashakthi Insurance by 105 runs

Heshan Flex- 209/8 (25) (D. Harshana 40, R. Ranasinghe 68 n.o.; K. Fernando 3/42)

Janashakthi 104 all out (18.1) (M. Ranasinghe 40, Rasika Chandana 3/33)

3rd QF at Mattegoda: MJF beat EB Creasey by 8 wickets

EBC 159/8 (25) (P. Eranda 35, P. Edirisinghe 30n.o, C. Janaka 2/22, S. Sinnathamby 2/25)

MJF 160/2 (21.1) (K. Rajendren 67n.o, S. Silva 50n.o.)

4th QF at Mattegoda: Nippon Paint beat Hayleys Group ‘B’ by 2 runs

Nippon Paint 190/5 (25) (Tharanga Indika 86, Malith Cooray 40)

Hayleys ‘B’ 188 all out (24.5) (T. Pathberiya 75, Ranil Coory 35, Naveen Kavikara 4/30, H. de Silva 2/38, G. Dilruk 2/25)