Off-spinner Miranga Wickramage and opening batsman Lohan de Soysa combined effectively to take 3DH International to victory over MAS Unichela in the limited overs final of the MCA Premier League cricket tournament at the MCA ground on Tuesday as they upstaged a hopeful rival who was hell bent on vengeance after losing the League encounter.
The match was eventually decided on the DLS Method due to rain as 3DH won by eight wickets in the final that was reduced to 38 overs in the end.
Sent in to bat first MAS Unichela found run-making an uphill task as the 3DH spin trio of Angelo Daniel (2/35), Miranga Wickramage (5/25) and Sachindu Colombage (2/27) kept to a good line and length.
MAS managed to reach 150 in 40.3 overs with Ramitha Gunaratne making 41 in 67 balls with one six and five fours and tailender Kalana Sandeep contributing 28 in 31 balls with one six and two fours.
Given a revised target of 136 runs in 38 overs 3DH International reached their goal comfortably in 23.1 overs with Kosala Silva (29) and Lohan de Soyza (69 in 64 balls with four sixes and four fours) sharing an 86-runs stand in 98 balls.
Match referee, Nalliah Devarajan’s Man of the Match was Miranga Wickramage from 3DH International.
The other three special awards, based on performances up to the semi–finals went to Angelo Daniel from 3DH International (best bowler, six matches, 18 wickets), Tharindu Amarasinghe from MAS Unichela (best batsman, three innings, 199 runs, average 66.3, strike rate 99.5) and Mithum Jayawickrama from Singer Sri Lanka (11 wickets for 112 runs and 110 runs in five innings)
Awards were presented by MCA officials Nalin Wickramasinghe (president), Mahesh de Alwis (senior vice president) and Ajith Siyambalapitiya (Executive Committee Member)
Chief Scores:
MAS Intimates Unichela: 150 in 40.3 overs (Bihanga Mendis 17, Sukitha Manoj 25, Ramith Gunaratne 41, Kalana Sandeep 28 not out, Angelo Daniel 2/35, Miranga Wickramage 5/28, Sachindu Colombage 2/27)
3DH International: 137 for 2 in 23.1 overs (Kosala Silva 29, Lohan de Soyza 69, Isiwara Dissanayake 30 n.o.)