Teejay Lanka beat LB Finance to win MCA Premier League 2018

A belligerent 101-run stand for the seventh wicket in 70 balls between Shalika Karunanayake (68 in 40 balls inclusive of 8 sixes and a four) and Sachithra Senanayake (67 in 45 balls inclusive of 6 sixes and 4 fours) propelled Teejay Lanka to a comfortable 82-run win on the DLS method over LB Finance at the 25th Singer-MCA Premier League 2018 Knockout tournament final, which concluded at the MCA grounds on Sunday. 

The match commenced late at 11.30 a.m. due to soggy ground conditions and was reduced to 42 overs a side. 

Teejay Lanka, sent into bat, was in a spot of bother after losing their top order batsmen Nilushan Nonis (7), Kithruwan Vithanage (5) and Milinda Siriwardena (4) cheaply, as LBF spinners Sahan Arachchige and Charith Sudaraka bowled well in tandem - 116 for 6 in 23 overs.

While wickets fell at regular intervals at one end, Teejay’s opening batsman Dilan Jayalath stood tall with a solid 51 in 62 balls with 3 sixes and 3 fours. 

Teejay failed to utilise their full quota of overs, being all out for 266 in 38.4 overs. 

LBF started their run chase on a bad note, losing their openers Shasheen Fernando (8) and Lahiru Udara (6) at 15 in 6.1 overs. 

Kusal Mendis (25) and Sahan Arachchige (26) resisted momentarily, putting on 51 runs for the third wicket in 50 balls.

When the scoreboard read 67 for 4 in the 16th over, darkness engulfed the grounds. Twenty overs had to be completed for a result to be recorded and LBF was trailing by 57 runs on the DLS system.

By the 20th over, LBF had lost two more wickets at 94, that of skipper Lakshan Rodrigo (9) and Chathuranga Kumara (7), both falling to skipper Lasith Malinga (4-22-3), who bowled slow, starting his run-up only two steps from the wicket. 

By the 25th over there was thunder and lightning and the on-field umpires Ranmore Martinez and Ruchira Palliyaguru decided to call off play at 4.20 p.m. with LBF reeling at 125 for 7, 82 runs short of the DLS par score. 

Sachithra Senanayake, who opened the bowling for Teejay and got the vital wickets of Shasheen Fernando, Kusal Mendis and Sahan Arachchige, finished with impressive figures of 9-1-35-3.

Match Referee Basil Perera picked Shalika Karunanayake from Teejay Lanka as his Man of the Match.

The other three special awards based on performances in the league stage went to Best Bowler Duvindu Tillakaratne from MAS Intimates Unichela (53.1 overs, 208 runs 20 wickets); Best Batsman Sachithra Serasinghe from the Hayleys Group (8 innings, 324 runs) and Man of the Tournament T.M. Dilshan from MAS Intimates Unichela (8 innings, 296 runs, seven wickets, 149 runs and 12 catches).

Awards for the league and knockout competitions were presented by Singer Sri Lanka Plc Marketing Director Kumar Samarasinghe (Chief Guest), Singer Sri Lanka Plc Senior Promotions Manager K.D.S. Kanishka (Guest of Honour), former MCA President Adel Hashim, MCA President Roshan Iddamalgoda and MCA General Secretary Nalin Wickremasinghe.

Chief scores

Teejay Lanka – 266 in 38.4 overs (Dilan Jayalath 51, Sithara Gimhan 17, Chalana de Silva 16, Shalika Karunanayake 68, Sachithra Senanayake 67, Sahan Arachchige 3/53, Charith Sudaraka 2/39)

LB Finance – 125 for 7 in 25 overs – when bad light halted play (Kusal Mendis 25, Sahan Arachchige 26, Priyamal Perera 24 not out, Anushka Perera 16, Sachithra Senanayake 3/35, Lasith Malinga 3/22)