Unbeaten,  Citizens Development Business Finance will meet the 2015 “F” division Runner-up, Lankem Ceylon, in the Final of the 14th David Pieris Group of Companies sponsored – “DPGC” Challenge Trophy – MCA “E” division 30 –Over League Tournament 2016,  on Saturday, 07th May at the MCA grounds, commencing 10:00 am.

Citizens Development  Business with a 100% record in their run-up to the final, scored convincing wins against Ceylon Tobacco by 08 wickets,  Union Assurance by 08 wickets, Finlays Colombo by 48 runs, Emerchemie NB by 73 runs and Regnis Lanka by 37 runs in the league stage;  they continued in the same fashion in the knock-out stage  by eliminating  Commercial Bank  by 09 wickets in the pre-quarter finals, Toll Global Forwarding by 90 runs in the quarter –Finals and Mercantile Investments by 05 wickets in the Semi Finals.

CDB Captain, Umayanga Premakumara  has been their main source inspiration, being the  leading wicket taker in the series with 25 wickets including two six wicket hauls, 6 for 15 in 06 overs   Vs. Emerchemie & 6 for 39 in 06 overs   Vs. Mercantile Investments &  5 for 42 in 04 overs  Vs. Finlays;  Runs for CDB  have come from Yohan Liyanage,  Chenuka Wickramasinghe and Chathuranga Dikkumbura.

Lankem Ceylon has not played  to their true potential; most of their wins were hard fought;  Amana Takaful Insurance by 02 wickets,  Nawaloka Group by 16 runs & Gestetner by 04 wickets ; they  commenced the season on a high note beating Amana Bank by 196  runs and finished the league on a low note, losing to Toll Global Forwarding by 42 runs;  In the elimination stage, Lankem gave  an improved performance   when they beat Nawaloka Group by 56 runs in the pre-quarters and Unilever by 07 wickets  in the quarter finals;  they made the great escape when they beat UB Finance by the skin of their teeth  (by 01 run) in the Semi Finals. 

Lankem will look up to their two inform batsmen,  Rukshan  Weerasinghe  (440 runs in 08 innings inclusive of  06 half centuries) & Lisula Weerasekera  (390 runs in 08 innings inclusive of a century & 02 half centuries) and their wicket taking bowler Madushan Chameera  (18 wickets for 208 runs) to find their pot of Gold at the end of the rainbow.

The Match Referee  cum Adjudicator is Nalliah Devarajan 

MCA Over 40 Cricket Sixes on 8 May

The senior citizens of the Mercantile Cricket Association are in the process of getting their fitness levels up, dusting their boots and getting their old pair of flannels dry-cleaned in readiness for the MCA Over 40 Cricket Sixes 2016 scheduled to be held this Sunday, 8 May, at the MCA and Wesley College Grounds, commencing at 8:30 a.m.

A total of 13 teams will play in four groups:

Group “A”: Singer Sri Lanka (2015 Winner), NDB Bank “B” and HNB 

Group “B”: Union Assurance PLC, NDB Bank “A”, Airport & Aviation Services and Hayleys Group

Teams pooled into Groups “A” and “B” will play at the MCA Grounds. 

Group “C”: SriLankan Airlines, Commercial Bank and Colombo Dockyard.

Group “D”: John Keells Group (2015 Runners Up), Sampath Bank and Sri Lanka Telecom 

Teams pooled into Groups “C” and “D” will play at the Wesley College Grounds. 

The tournament is sponsored by Ceylon Cold Stores PLC and is played for the Elephant House Lemonade Trophy; the five Special Awards on offer are for the Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Hitter of the Most Sixes in the Tournament, the Most Senior Player Participating in the Tournament and the Man of the Final. 

The winning Semi-Finalist from Wesley College Grounds will call over at the MCA Grounds to play the Final.