MCA Cricket: Heshan Flexi wins Last Man Standing

Heshan Flexi Packaging 'A' scored a comfortable 49-run win over UB Finance in the final of the Last-Man-Stands (LMS), 8-a-side, 20+20 League, Sri Lanka Winter Season 2016, concluded at the P. Sara Oval last Sunday. 

LMS, 8-a-side cricket tournament was founded in 2005 by John Briggs and Wayne Greve in London and was designed for amateur players to become professionals. 

The tournament has been played around 12 countries in different seasons including Sri Lanka. 

The organiser's main aim is to stage the LMS World Cricket Cup in Cape Town, South Africa in 2017. 

The franchise owners are Sheron Fernando, a Sri Lankan domiciled in Australia and Joash Hoare. 

The Rest of the World exhibition match team was represented by players from Australia, England, New Zealand, U.A.E. and Sri Lanka. 

This is the second time that Sri Lanka hosted the tournament sponsored by Heshan Flexi Packaging. 

Twelve teams in 4 groups played in the league and at the conclusion, Leo SC, (Group 'A' winner), Heshan Flexi 'A' (Group 'B' Winner), Heshan Flexi 'B' (Group 'C' Winner) and UB Finance (Group 'D' Winner) advanced to the semi-finals. 

In the semi-finals played in the morning which was reduced to 12 overs a side, Heshan Flexi 'A' scored a 99 run victory over their 'B' side by 99 runs; and UB Finance beat Leo SC by 8 runs. 

Heshan Flexi “A” inform batsmen, Chalitha Chamod (61 in 28 balls, inclusive of 03 sixes & 07 fours), Risith Upamal (48 in 22 balls with 2 sixes and 5 fours) sent the UBF bowlers on a leather hunt to put up a daunting 188 for 6 in 20 overs in the finals. 

UBF started off well with opener, Pathum Wickramasinghe scoring a brisk 44 runs; as Wickramasinghe was out trying to accelerate the total, the spinners, Nimesh Perera (3.4-0-14-4) and Ruwan Ranasinghe (2-0-9-2) put a strangle hold on the rest of the UBF batting, all out for 139 runs in 17.4 overs (including the last man). 

The Awards were presented by former Minister of Parliament, Dayasiri Tissera, Sepali Weerakkody, Rasika Chandana from Heshan Flexi (Main Sponsor), Joash Hoare and Sheran Fernando (both LMS /SL franchise owners) and Wayne Greve, Co-Founder of LMS in 2005.  

1st Semi Final: Heshan Flexi 'A' beat Heshan Flexi 'B' by 99 runs 
Heshan Flexi 'A' 173/2 (12) (Chalitha Chamod 51 rtd, B. Prasad 39, Nimesh Perera 51 rtd, G. Prasanga 24 not out, T. Suraj 1/43, S. Senanayake 1/27) 
Heshan Flexi 'B' 74 /8 (11.3) (D. Suranga 26, M. Lakshan 20, B. Prasad 3/17, T. Kaluwawela 2/15, N. Hettiarachchi 2/5) 

2nd Semi Final: UB Finance beat Leo SC by 8 runs 
LBF 110/4 (12) (P. Wickramasinghe 52 rtd., G. Nethpriya 2/19) 
Leo’s 102/5 (12) (Ralf Fernando 30, P. Jayasiri 24, S. Dilshan 24 not out, B. Jayamanne 2/17, Arosha Perera 2/12) 

Final: Heshan Flexi 'A' beat UB Finance by 49 runs
Heshan Flexi 'A' 188/6 (20) (Chalitha Chamod 61, R. Upamal 48, Ruwan Ranasinghe 29, Arosha Perera 4/32) 
UBF 139/8 (17.4) (P. Wickramasinghe 44, Nipun Gamage 25, Vimukthi Perera 31, Nimesh Perera 4/14, R. Ranasinghe 2/9) 

Exhibition Match: Rest of the World beat SL Dream Team by 3 runs 
ROW 163/4 (20) (Wayne Greve 30, Deepak Nicolas 50 rtd, Joash Hoare 25, Sheran Fernando 30 not out, M. Lakshan 2/17) 
Dream Team 160/8 (19.2) (Pathum Madusanka 30, R. Nirmal 28, Udith Nanayakkara 52, Arosha Perera 25, Joash Hoare 3/26, Ross Cawood 3/39, A. Hashim 2/28) 

Special Awards: 

Best Bowler of the Tournament: Thiwanka Kakulawela (320.53 points) from Heshan Flexi 'A' 

Best Batsman of the Tournament: Chalitha Chamod (586.30) from Heshan Flexi 'A'    

Man of the Final: Nimesh Perera (3.4-0-14-4) from Heshan Flexi 'A' 

Man of the Match (Exhibition): Udith Nanayakkara (52 in 26 balls) from SL Dream Team