Expolanka bags first MCA title

Expolanka Holdings bagged their very first Mercantile Cricket (MCA) title, as they took the brand new Sanjeev Jaa Challenge Trophy, registering a comfortable win of 56 runs over John Keells Group “B”, in the final of the third Fairfirst Insurance MCA “F” division 25-over League Tournament on Saturday 27 February at the MCA  grounds. 

The Expolanka Captain, the 28-year-old all-rounder, Hashan Hewanayake, created a MCA record when he accounted for three special awards out of the four offered; Best Bowler ( seven matches, 34 overs, 125 runs , 18 wickets), Man-of-the-Series ( seven innings, 185 runs, inclusive of two half-centuries) and Man-of-the-Final (77 in 53 balls, inclusive of eight sixes, two fours and held four catches), adjudged by the Match Referee, Gamini Dissanayake    

The remaining award went to Expolanka’s opening batsman / wicket-keeper Lahiru Lakshitha  (07 innings, 326 runs, the only centurion of the tournament and one half-century, with a best of 170 v MBSL Insurance.) 

Expolanka, who won the toss and batted, ran up challenging total of 183/8 in 25 overs, helped by a 130-run-stand in 108 balls, between one-drop batsman Tharindu Roshan (57 in 65 balls, inclusive of four sixes and two fours) and skipper Hashan Hewanayake, thanks to some atrocious fielding by John Keells, grassing as much as six easy catches. 

John Keells unbeaten up to the Final, got off to a shaky start losing their opener Ishara Rashmika for six with the score at eight, and one-drop batsman Ishan Jayawardena for zero with the score at 10.

Opener Praveen Gunawardena (14) and in-form batsman Dharshana Hewawasam  (47 in 43 balls with four sixes and four fours) held on with a fighting run-a-ball 52 run-stand for the third wicket.

Off-spinner Madawa Chathuranga was introduced to the attack in the 12th over and he turned the game upside down, breaking the partnership by getting rid of Gunawardena and then Hewawasam. Both batsmen were dismissed playing irresponsible shots, trying to hit Chathuranga out of the ground, but only to find Skipper Hewanayake on both occasions. 

There onwards, John Keells lost wickets on regular intervals and folded up for 127 in 22 overs, with Chathuranga finishing with impressive figures of 5/29.

Awards were given away by Chief Guest – Fairfirst Insurance Head of Sales Sanjaya Siriwardena, Head of Marketing Sasith Bambaradeniya, MCA President Rohana Dissanayake, Vice President Mahesh de Alwis and General Secretary, Sirosha Gunatillake.

Scorecard

Expolanka Holdings – 183/8 (25) (Lahiru Lakshitha 26,  Tharindu Roshan 57, Hashan Hewanayake 77,  Dharshana Hewawasam 2/44,  Ishan Jayawardena 2/20, P.K. Abeygunasekera 2/17).   

John Keells “B” – 127 (22) ( Praveen Gunawardena 14, Dharshana Hewawasam  47,  Rusiru de Silva 15,  Ishane Perera 22,  Seniru Mapatuna 2/27,  Madawa Chathuranga 5/29).