Maliban Biscuits faces Sri Lanka Telecom in MCA ‘G’ Division 25-over finals tomorrow

Unbeaten Maliban Biscuits will be the favourites to win the Honda Trophy as they take on Sri Lanka Telecom in the final of the 7th MCA ‘G’ Division 25-over league tournament 2017, sponsored by Stafford Motor Ltd, on 12 August at the MCA Grounds, commencing at 10.00 a.m.

In the top half semifinal, Maliban spin twins Chamara Ratnayake (4-1-11-4) and Anjula Perera (5-28-3) ran through Avery Dennison’s batting line-up (84 all out in 22 overs) to pave the way for a comfortable seven-wicket win. 

But things did not come easy for SL Telecom in the bottom half semifinal against HNB ‘B’. SLT made a great escape to win by 31 runs as they miraculously recovered from 17 for 5 to 159 for 5 in 25 overs via a gritty sixth-wicket stand of 85 runs in 59 balls between Kalpa Bandaranayake (71 in 40 balls, with 4 sixes and 8 fours) and Suranga Wijeratne (31).

SLT defended their score of 159 runs (RPO 6.4) against the experienced HNB ‘B’ batters via their three-pronged bowling attack of the pace and spin of Jagath Siriwardena (3/35), Kalpa Bandaranayake (2/28) and skipper Malinda Perera (2/15).

In the pre-quarter finals, Maliban beat First Choice by 100 runs and went on to beat Deutsche Bank AG by eight wickets in the quarterfinals. 

Maliban, playing in Group ‘A’, remained unbeaten in the league stage, winning all their five matches over Group M Media by 202 runs, Coats Thread by nine wickets, Glaxo Smithkline by 118 runs and Alliance Finance by seven wickets while tying with Asiri Hospitals on the DLS method. 

Sri Lanka Telecom beat DIMO ‘B’ by eight wickets in the pre-quarters and newcomers Pyramid Wilmer by eight runs in the quarterfinals. 

In the league stage, SL Telecom, who played in Group ‘D’, also stayed unbeaten, winning against JAT Holdings by 82 runs on the DLS method, ShipXpress by 151 runs, Avaian Technologies by nine wickets, SriLankan Airlines by 19 runs on the DLS method and Pearson Lanka by 57 runs while tying with Mobitel on the DLS method. 

Sri Lanka Telecom will mainly look up to Kalpa Bandaranayake to pile on the runs for them in the final as he has accumulated 376 runs in nine innings with four half-centuries so far in the tournament. 

Bowlers Jagath Siriwardena (13 wickets for 173 runs) and skipper Malinda Perera (13 wickets for 184 runs) are bound to trouble Maliban’s strong batting line-up. 

Maliban will look to their skipper Tharindu Siriwardena (eight innings, 245 runs, two not outs and one century) and Pradeep Madushanka (eight innings, 245 runs, one not out and one half-century) their in-form batsman and spinner Chamara Ratnayake (12 wickets for 188 runs) to deliver the goods. 

Teams

 

Maliban Biscuits (from left): Tharindu Siriwardena (Captain), Dilan Chathuranga (VC), Anjula Perera, Gihan Anuruddha (WK), Lahiru Dushantha, Chamara Rathnayake, Chathuranga Dewapriya, Risith Upamal, Sameera Lakmal, Dilip Sandaruwan, Nethminda Perera, Nirmal Udayanga, Pradeep Madushanka, Senaka Lakmal and Amila Prasad  

Sri Lanka Telecom (from left): Malinda Perera (Captain), Nirushan Ramachandra, Kasun Amarasinghe, Namal Dissanayake, Desaja Yukthi, Lahiru Ranatunga (WK), Dhanusha Lanka, Chathura Fernando, Jagath Siriwardhana, Sudam Jayawardena, Asela Ekanayaka, Sandun Wijeratne,  Kalpa Bandaranayake, Sanjaya Fernando, Amila Ekanayake, Janith Bogahage, Suranga Wijerathna and Rohana Bandara