MCA Cricket: Semi-finalists found in Premier League Knockout Tournament

Sampath Bank, John Keells and Commercial Credit & Finance advanced to the semi-finals of the 23rd Singer-MCA Premier League Knockout Tournament when they won their quarter-final matches.   They will now join the league winner, MAS Active Trading, who has drawn a bye into the semi-finals.   A mesmerizing bowling performance by MCA’s Emerging Player 2014, Chathuranga de Silva, fresh after his tour of New Zealand with the SL ‘A’ team (10-1-34-7), guided Commercial Credit and Finance to an upset three wickets over the fancied, MAS Unichela.   MAS Unichela, sent into bat, got off to a flying start via an opening stand of 125 runs in 142 balls between Dhanushka Gunatillake (89 in 127 balls inclusive of two sixes and five fours) and T.M. Dilshan (63 in 74 balls inclusive of a six and four fours).   Chathuranga de Silva was brought into the attack in the 23rd over and immediately got rid of the rampaging, T.M. Dilshan and the dangerous Mahela Udawatte in two successive deliveries.   De Silva kept on firing his colt, as he got rid of Prasanna Jayawardena (4), Chamara Silva, T. Sumanasiri, Farveez Maharoof (10) and Malinga Bandara (1).   Thanks to some rear guard action by tail-ender, PLM Jayaratne (31 in 37 balls with three fours), MAS Unichela got up to 221 in 49.5 overs.   Commercial Credit got off to disastrous start, losing Shehan Jayasuriya (8) and Upul Tharanga and soon was looking down the barrel, further sliding to 65 for 5.   Chamara Kapugedera (15) and Chathuranga de Silva (15) put them back on course to reach 102 for 7 in the 27th over.   But Commercial Credit was still far from shore needing 120 runs more in 23 overs with only three wickets standing.   Suddenly the Commercial Credit unsteady boat got a gush of wind in their sails in the form of two gutsy batsmen L.D. Madushanka (66 not out in 75 balls inclusive of three sixes and a four) and Suraj Randiv (73 not out in 80 balls, inclusive of two sixes and seven fours), who put on 117 runs for the 8th wicket, as they touched port with four balls to spare. In a match reduced to a 28 overs a side, bowlers Bhanuka Rajapaksa (5-0-28-4) and Janaka Gunaratne (5.4-1-19-5) propelled John Keells to a comfortable 67 runs win over Seylan Bank. A superb opening stand between Sameen Kandanarachchi (59 in 57 balls with a six and seven fours) and Primosh Perera (80 in 105 balls inclusive of two sixes and six fours) in 21 overs, paved way for Sampath Bank to a convincing five wickets win with nearly 10 overs to spare over HNB.   At the conclusion of the ‘League’ MAS Active emerged winners dethroning the defender, MAS Unichela on a superior run-rate.   MAS Active and MAS Unichela both unbeaten, finished with equal points as the decider ended in a no-result.   In the last preliminary round matches Chamara Silva 75, Heshan Dumindu 60, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 100, Lahiru Milantha 62 and Sameen Kandanarachchi 64 not oout fared best with the bat while Lasith Malinga 6/36 was the pick of the bowlers.   The Table of Points at the completion of ‘League’: (1) MAS Active Trading (25 points/Net run rate 4.29) (2) MAS Unichela (25 points/Net run rate 2.83), (3) John Keells (15 points/Net run rate 0.60), (4) Sampath Bank (15 points/Net run rate 0.08), (5) HNB (08 points/Net run rate 2.27) and Seylan Bank (04 points/Net run rate -3.09), Commercial Credit and Finance withdrew after playing two matches.   MAS Active Trading the League winners received a bye to the semi-finals while the other six teams clashed in the quarter-finals last Wednesday (22).   The semi-finals will be staged on Sunday (25) at MCA ground between MAS Active Trading and Sampath Bank at FTZ ground in Katunayake between John Keells and Commercial Credit.   Match Results   Quarter-finals   At MCA: John Keells beat Seylan Bank by 67 runs (match reduced to 28 overs a side due to soggy ground conditions)   John Keells 164 for 9 wickets (28) (N.H.G. Cooray 43, Y. Lanka 20, M.A.P. Fernando 28, L. Abeykoon 2/31, C.G. Wijesinghe 3/35, K. Gunawardena 2/33) Seylan Bank 97 all out (23.4) (K. Hiniduma 20, L. Nimsara 20, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 4/28, Janaka Gunaratne 5/19)   At Katunayake: Sampath Bank beat HNB by 5 wickets HNB 204 for 7 wickets (50) (H.A.T. Fernando 20, D. Dias 47, R.G. Perera 30, S. Jayawardena 26, N.V.R. Perera 26 not out, R.K. Fernando 2/28, H. Nirmal 2/22) Sampath Bank 206 for 5 wickets (40.4) (Sameen Kandanarachchi 59, Primosh Perera 80, Jeevan Mendis 33, Madawa Warnapura 3/43)   At Moratuwa: Commercial Credit and Finance beat MAS Unichela by 3 wickets MAS Unichela 221 all out (49.2) (M.D. Gunatillake 89, T.M. Dilshan 63, P.L.M. Jayaratne 31, L.D. Madushanka 2/41, Chathuranga de Silva 7/34) Commercial Credit 224 for 7 wickets (49.2) (L.D. Madushanka 66 not out, Suraj Randiv 73 not out, P.L.M. Jayaratne 2/40)