Asia Asset Finance’s Nimesh, Virtusa’s Sadeem first centurions in MCA E Division 30-over league

Nimesh Fernando from Asia Asset Finance and Sadeem Thawfeeq from Virtusa took the spotlight as the first centurions of the ongoing 15th David Pieris Group of Companies sponsored DPGC Challenge Trophy, MCA ‘E’ Division 30-over League Tournament 2017, which continued last Sunday. 

Opener Fernando carried his bat out after hitting a hurricane 123 not out, which included 6 sixes and 15 fours, as he steered Asia Asset Finance to a fine 58-run win over Vallibel Finance. 

Fernando together with Shashika Pussegolla (88 in 57 balls with 6 sixes and 8 fours) put on 175 runs from 84 balls for the third wicket, as Asia Asset amassed 246 for 3 in 30 overs. Vallibel Finance were all out for 188 in 29 overs. They were helped by a 81-run stand between Sandun Sampath (87) and Dhananjaya Perera (40)

The other centurion, another opener, Virtusa’s Sadeem Thawfeeq too carried his bat out after scoring a well compiled 109 not out from 101 balls inclusive of a six and 17 fours.  

Thawfeeq was associated with a 110-run stand from 92 balls for the third wicket with Udesh Sendanayake  (44), helping Virtusa  to go over the 200-run mark and beat HSBC ‘A’ convincingly by 64 runs.

The bowling honours were bagged by Softlogic Finance paceman Praneeth Gunaratne and Dhanushka Tennakoon from MAS Active ‘B’.

Praneeth Gunaratne finished with exceptional figures of 6-16-5 but his effort did not bear  fruit for Softlogic as Eagle Logistics snatched a heart-stopping one-wicket win after recovering from 37 for 5 in 8.3 overs. 

CW Mackie, making a return to the mercantile cricket scene after quite some time, was demoralised by MAS Active ‘B’ bowler Dhanushka Tennakoon, who came up with an impressive spell of 6-1-21-5.

MAS Active ‘B’ went on to win by a massive margin of 121 runs, riding on three half-centuries scored by Nuwan Rajapaksa  (54), Shalindra Perera  (84 in 56 balls, inclusive of 4 sixes and 10 fours) and Duleeka Brahakmanage (66).

Ansell Lanka gave away 20 runs in wide deliveries, paving the way for Nawaloka Hospitals to run away with a one-wicket win in the last ball. 

A gritty 101-run fifth wicket stand from 74 balls between G. Wickramasinghe (42) and J. Lawrence  (53) and good rearguard action by tail ender D. Weerasinghe (48 not out) gave DFCC Bank a fighting three wicket win over Assetline Leasing.

A well-hit half-century by opener Dinesh Vindyaka (50 in 45 balls, 2 sixes and 6 fours) and good bowling by Sampath Perera (3 for 25), Roshan Navis (3 for 25) and Dilhara de Silva (3 for 38) gave Dialog Axiata ‘A’ a close 10-run win over UB Finance. 

The lowest team total came from Regnis Lanka, who were shot out for a paltry 72 runs from 22.5 overs to hand HNB Grameen Finance a cakewalk 9-wicket win.

Match results (9 half-day matches) 

Mattegoda/afternoon: Dialog Axiata ‘A’ beat UB Finance by 10 runs

Dialog ‘A’ – 185 (29.2)(D. Vindyaka 50, B. Ekanayake 26, D. de Silva 31, M. Wattegedera 26,  Shayamal Perera 20, B. Jayamanne 2/19, A. Perera 2/27, S. Kalhan 3/41, S. Seneviratne 2/16)

UBF – 175 (29.2) (A. Perera 52, M. Jayawickrama 41, S. Kalhan 29, S. Perera 3/27, R. Nevis 3/25, D. de Silva 3/35)

Campbell Park/Morning: Asia Asset Finance beat Vallibel Finance by 56 runs

AAF – 246/3 (30.0) (Nimesh Fernando 123 not out, S. Pussegolla 80)

Vallibel Finance – 188 (29.0) (S. Sampath 87, D. Perera  40, N. Niroshan 2/37, N. Perera 3/39, D. de Silva 3/37)

Campbell Park/afternoon: Virtusa beat HSBC ‘A’ by 64 runs

Virtusa – 206 (30.0) (Sadeem Thawfeeq 109 not out, U. Senanayake 44, S. Subasinghe 4/26)

HSBC ‘A’ – 142/8 (30.0) (T. Wijesuriya 37, M. Rukshan 37 not out, A. Kaluarachchi 32, L. Liyanage 2/17, R. Samarasinghe 3/30)

Panadura/morning: MAS Active ‘B’ beat CW Mackie by 121 runs

MAS Active ‘B’ – 244/8 (30.0) (N. Rajapaksa 54, Salindra Perera 84, D. Brahakmanage 66, N. Nuwansera 4/43)

CW Mackie – 123 (26.5)(S. Suranga 30, N. Nuwansera 25, Dhanushka Tennakoon 5/21, Shalindra Perera  2/6)

Panadura/afternoon: HNB Grameen beat Regnis Lanka by 9 wickets

Regnis – 72 (22.5) (R. Jayatillake 25, D. Sandaruwan 2/9, J. Perera 2/21, C. Ratnayake 2/19)

HNB Grameen – 75/1 (15.1) (P. Perera 30, S. Fernando 20, M. Fernando 20 not out)

Moratuwa/morning - DFCC Bank beat Assetline Leasing by 3 wickets 

Assetline  - 206/6 (30.0) (S. Weerasinghe 26, S. Ratnayake 20, K. Buddika 22, M. Bandara 53, R. Fernando 39 not out, L. Liyanage 2/20)

DFCC – 210/7 (27.3) (C. Wickramasinghe 42, J. Lawrence 53, D. Weerasinghe 48 not out, M. Bandara 3/26, M. Dilan 3/53)

Moratuwa/afternoon: Noyon Lanka beat Pizza Hut by 50 runs

Noyon Lanka - 216/9 (30.0)(C. Samanpriya 76, K. Jayaratne 28, C. Saman 33, R. Wasantha 21, I. Mohamed 2/32, S. de Zoysa 2/37, E. Kumara 2/33)

Pizza Hut – 166 (27.5) (N. Shanuka 23 not out, D. Ratnayake 21, K. Siriwardena 4/39, K. Jayaratne 2/34) 

Veyangoda/morning: Nawaloka Hospitals beat Ansell Lanka by 1 wicket 

Ansell – 164/9  (30.0) (P. Dhananjaya 37, S. Harshana 20, D. Silva 22, S. Perusinghe 22, U.A. Morais 2/30, K. Harshana 3/29, D. Ranush 2/20)

Nawaloka – 166/9 (26.4)(G. Sameera 25, U.A. Moraias 27, D. Ranush 24 not out, C. Madusanka 2/30,  A. Pradeep 4/32, S. Perusinghe 2/30)

Veyangoda/afternoon: Eagle Logistics beat Softlogic Finance by 1 wicket

Softlogic – 148 (25.5) (M. Wijetillake 32, R. Mendis 40, S. Kumara 27, M. Dinesh 2/15, P. Ranaweera 2/17, I. Dilshan 4/34)

Eagle Logistics – 149/9 (27.2) (R. Divakaran 47, P. Gunaratne 5/16, A. Rajapaksa 3/34)

The tournament will continue on 10 (poya), 11 and 12 February with a match card of 20 half-day matches.