MCA Cricket: Division 'G' semi-finalists found

Stafford Motors, the tournament sponsor, along with Maliban Biscuits, Asia Asset Finance and Palliyaguruge Group, booked semi-final berths at the Stafford–Honda MCA Division ‘G’ 25-Over League Tournament2016, after winning their quarter-final fixturesplayed last weekend. 

In the semi-finals, Maliban Biscuits will take on Stafford Motors at Mattegoda while at the MCA ground, Asia Asset Finance will meet Palliyaguruge Group. 

A combined bowling effort in the first quarter-final byAmila Prasad (4-0-16-2), Lahiru Dushantha (5-0-32-2) and Anjula Perera (2-0-12-2) restricted PABC Bank ‘B’ to 149 runs in 25 overs. 

A well compiled 5th-wicket stand of 80 runs between Anjula Perera- 67 in 37 balls (1 six + 10 fours) and Harsha Salgado- 38, steered Malibans to a fine 5-wicket win. 

In the second quarter-final, Stafford Motors proved too strong for Asiri Hospitals, when their pace battery of Dhammika Kumara (5-0-12-3), Asantha Singappuli (3-0-27-3) and Pramesh Fernando (3.3 -1-9-3) skittled them for 66 runs in 16.3 overs, enabling them to register a comfortable 8-wicket win. 

Asset Asia Finance too proved way too strong for ACL Cables as their three-pronged pace attack of Nadun Niroshan (4 for 14), Michael Prashanth (3 for 12) and Nimesh Perera (2 for 17), destroyed the opponents for a paltry 53 in 17.3 overs, to romp home by 117 runs in the 3rd quarter-final. 

In the fourth quarter-final, Harsha de Silva (55) and Mohamed Mathalif (77) scored brisk half centuries, while Udara Rajapaksa snapped up 4 wickets for 9 runs in 2 overs, spearheading Palliyaguruge Group to a convincing 48-run win over Citi Bank. 

Results: 

QF 1: Maliban Biscuits beat PABC Bank ‘B’ by 5 wickets 
PABC ‘B’149/7 (25) (Y. Perera 31, W. Perera 53, T. Fernando 25 n.o., Anjula Perera 2/12, Amila Prasad 2/16, Lahiru Dushantha 2/32) 
Malibans 153/5 (22.1) (Anjula Perera 67, Harsha Salgado 38 n.o., G. Perera 2/31) 

QF 2: Stafford Motors beat Asiri Hospitals by 8 wickets 
Asiri Hospitals 66 all out (16.3) (S. Nadeesh 25, Pramesh Fernando 3/9, D. Kumara 3/21, A. Singappuli 3/27) 
Stafford Motors 67/2 (10.2) (Romesh Fernando 41n.o.) 

QF 3: Asia Asset Finance (AAF) beat ACL Cables by 117 runs 
AAF 170 all out (24) (Nimesh Fernando 25, S. Rashan 23, Shanaka Silva 39, M. Prashanth 30, G. Namal 3/24, D. Bandara 2/25, T. Punchihewa 2/27) 
ACL 53 all out (17.2) (K. Shanthikumar 16, N. Niroshan 4/14, M. Prashanth 3/12, Nimesh Perera 2/17) 

QF 4: Palliyaguruge Group beat Citi Bank NA by 48 runs 
Palliyaguruge Group 215/5 (25) (Harsha de Silva 55, D. Harischandra 25, M. Muthalif 77 n.o., A. Palliyaguruge 25 n.o., R. Munasinghe 3/47, S. Aliraja 2/28)    
Citi Bank NA 157/9 (24) (Naleen Pradeep 75, M. Perera 20, R. Munasinghe 22, Udara Rajapaksa 4/9, P. Palliyaguruge 2/20, G. Liyanage 2/34)