MCA ‘E’ division 40-overs league

Central Finance lifts ‘Cherry QQ’ trophy

The well balanced bowling attack spearheaded by medium-pacer Dileepa Marlon halted the giant-killing performance of Suntel as Central Finance led by Amila Gayan took the MCA Division ‘E’ 40-overs league title and the ‘Cherry QQ’ trophy with a comfortable six wickets win in the final concluded at the MCA grounds on Saturday.

Suntel made a strong entry to the final knocking out two unbeaten group leaders Abans and Mabrock Teas.

Central Finance achieved what they wanted from the start by winning the toss, choosing to field and restricting Suntel to a very modest total.

Opener, Suranga Meegoda and Tharindu Wickremasinghe gave Suntel a good start with an aggressive stand of 40 off 42 balls.

Marlon with intelligent bowling got rid of the openers in quick succession and went on to bag the vital wickets of vice-captain Dilon Bahar and the reliable Chiranthana Fernando to put Suntel on the back foot at 54 for 4.

Suntel never recovered from Marlon’s four-wicket burst and spinners Dinesh Seneviratne and Anura Karunaratne took full control of the game from there onwards to have them all out for 124 runs in the 39th over. The highest scorer was Extras with 24.

Marlon finished with best figures of 8-2-22-4 while Seneviratne had 2 for 23 and Karunaratne 2 for 20.

Central Finance reached their winning target (125-4) in just 27 overs with Marlon, Dilan Perera (42 not out in 50 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) and Pathum de Mel being the main contributors. The careless Suntel bowlers gave away 20 runs in wides and no-balls.

Match referee K.H. Nandasena adjudged Central Finances’ exciting all-rounder Marlon as the man-of-the-match. Other special awards based on performances in the league stage went to Vishara A. Silva of Shaw Wallace Marketing (Best Batsman: 5 innings, 304 runs, avg. 192.00 with 2 centuries); Ramachandran Sridhar of Abans Group (Best Bowler: 14 wickets for 126 runs, avg. 9.00, Ec/Rt 3.4) and A.R.C. Perera of Bodyline (Man-of-the-Series: 151 runs and 13 wickets for 110 runs).

David Pieris Automobiles Ltd. sponsored the tournament for the sixth successive year. Their general manager vehicle sales, Rohana Dissanayake was the chief guest and their divisional sales manager Cherry QQ, Nihal Silva was guest of honour. MCA officials president Tissa Madigasekera, general secretary Ashley Ratnayake, and tournament committee member Sujeewa de Silva also presented awards.

Scores: Suntel 124 (38.4) (Suranga Meegoda 16, Tharindu Wickramasinghe 18, Dharshana Liyanage 12, Ruwan Bandara 15, Dileepa Marlon 4/22, Dinesh Seneviratne 2/23, Anura Karunaratne 2/20)

Central Finance 125-4 (26.4) (RA Duminda 10, Dileepa Marlon 21, Dilan Perera 42 n.o., Anura Karunaratne 12, Pathum de Mel 20)