Openers steal limelight at MCA ‘G’ Division 25-over league tournament

Three opening batsmen - Lakshan Perera from Fair First Insurance, Tharaka Marasinghe from Kelani Cables and Nirushan Ramachandran from Sri Lanka Telecom – and bowler Shamil Jayalath from CEAT International, Kelaniya stole the limelight at the 7th ongoing Honda Trophy – MCA ‘G’ Division 25-over league tournament 2017, sponsored by Stafford Motor Ltd, which continued last weekend. 

Lakshan Perera, the weekend’s top-scorer, scored a belligerent 88 runs in 62 balls, inclusive of 6 sixes and 8 fours against A. Baur & Co. 

Tharaka Marasinghe carried his bat out after scoring a firecracker 83 not out in 47 balls, hitting 3 sixes and 13 fours against Union Assurance. 

Nirushan Ramachandran scored a brisk 80 runs in 52 balls, inclusive of 2 sixes and 10 fours against debutants JAT Holdings.

Shamil Jayalath finished with impressive figures of 5-19-5 to shut out debutants Waters Edge for 65 runs. 

The weekend’s match results at a glance, 22 half-day matches

MCA (morning): CIC (152/10 in 24.5) beat DPMC ‘B’ (140 in 24.1) by 12 runs

MCA (afternoon): Fair First Insurance (146 in 22.3) lost to A. Baur & Co. (152/3 in 18.1) by 7 wickets 

Mattegoda (morning): MAS Active ‘D’ (104 in 25) lost to Aitken Spence Group (108/6 in 15.2) by 4 wickets.

Mattegoda (afternoon): Wruth Lanka (155/5 in 25) lost to Commercial Credit ‘C’ (159/4 in 22.2) by 6 wickets.

Veyangoda (morning): Jetwing Travels (131/8 in 25) lost to Coca Cola Beverages (132/7 in 23) by 3 wickets.

Veyangoda (afternoon): CEAT Int. Kelaniya (177/6 in 25) beat Waters Edge (65 in 16.3) by 112 runs. 

Thurstan (morning): Cargills Bank (157 in 24.5) beat HNB Assurance (120 in 24.2) by 37 runs. 

Thurstan (afternoon): Avian Technologies (89 in 19.4) lost to SriLankan Airlines (90/2 in 9) by 8 wickets.

MCA (morning): Singer ‘B’ (90 in 20.3) lost to PABC Bank ‘C’ (91/5 in 14.5) by 5 wickets.

MCA (afternoon): Pyramid Wilmer (195/8 in 22 ) beat First Choice (184/7 in 22) by 10 runs on the DLS method. 

Mattegoda (morning): ShipXpress (183/6 in 25) beat Mobitel ‘B’ (126/8 in 25) by 57 runs.

Mattegoda (afternoon): Sri Lanka Telecom (173/4 in 18) beat JAT Holdings (93/7 in 18) by 82 runs on the DLS method.

Moratuwa (morning): Interpharm (178/7 in 25) beat Nor –Lanka (168 in 24.4) by 10 runs 

Moratuwa (afternoon): RR Donnerly (141/7 in 18) lost to Micro Holdings (145/5 in 16.5) by 5 wickets on the DLS method.

Kotahena (morning): Avery Dennison (99 in 22.3) lost to HNB ‘B’ (100/7 in 20) by 3 wickets

Kotahena (afternoon): Millennium IT (147 in 24.5) beat The Finance Co. (92 in 16.5) by 55 runs

Veyangoda (morning): Alliance Finance (186 in 24.4) beat Coats Thread Lanka (127/6 in 25) by 59 runs 

Veyangoda (afternoon): Courtaulds Clothing (174 in 22.3) beat Peak Colombo (172/9 in 23) by 2 runs.

Panadura (morning): Union Assurance (102 in 21.4 overs) lost to Kelani Cables (106/1 in 12.3) by 9 wickets

Panadura (afternoon): MD Gunasena (109 in 18) lost to Commercial Credit ‘C’ (111/2 in 21.1 overs) by 8 wickets. 

Darley Road (morning): Laughs Holdings (149 in 24.5) beat BPO Connect (120 in 24.3) by 29 runs.

Darley Road (afternoon): Pearson Lanka (146/5 in 22) beat SriLankan Airlines (126/8 in 22) by 22 runs on the DLS method.

The tournament will continue this weekend on 17 and 18 June with a card of 26 half-day matches.