Debutant Mode Engineering upsets Ansell Lanka

Debutants Mode Engineering created a huge upset when they eliminated the Group B winner Ansell Lanka by four wickets to book a place in the semi-finals in the first ‘CBL-Munchee’ Trophy MCA ‘D’ division 40 Over League Tournament 2020, continued on 1 and 2 February.

In the other three quarter-finals, as expected Maliban Biscuits (Group A number one) beat Hemas Group by eight wickets; David Pieris Motor Co. (Group B number two) beat Hirdaramani Group by 80 runs and Nawaloka Hospitals (Group A number two) beat NDB by 77 runs. Victory did not come easy for Mode Engineering (Group A number four); they were given a challenging target of 265 runs to win in 40 overs by Ansell Lanka and they achieved it with distinction in the penultimate over with four wickets in hand; the two heroes for Mode Engineering were centurion R. Chandramohan (123 in 97 balls, inclusive of eight sixes and 10 fours) and his able sidekick Geegana Gamage with 65 in 56 balls with two sixes and eight fours.

Centurion opening batsman Madushan Fernando continued his good form with another sterling innings of 81 runs in 51 balls while hitting four sixes and 10 fours for David Pieris Motor Co.; Madushan, along with Manjula Bandara (61 in 47 balls, three sixes and eight fours) spearheaded the DPMC innings of 217 in 39 overs, which was quite enough for them, as Hirdaramani’s shot out for 137 in 29.5 overs. 

The weekend’s match results/all Quarter-Finals

1st Quarter-Final at Mattegoda: Maliban Biscuits beat Hemas Group by eight wickets.

• Hemas Holdings – 143 (38) (Madusanka Fonseka 88, Chathuranga Devapriya 3/13, Thamara Rathnayake 3/22, Dilan Chathuranga 2/26)
• Maliban Biscuits - 149/2 (19.5) (Risith Upamal 75 not out, Mohommed Silmi 37 not out, Gihan Anuruddha 22)

2nd Quarter-Final at D.S. Senanayake College: David Pieris Motor Co. beat Hirdaramani by 80 runs

• David Pieris Motor Company – 217 (39) (Madushan Fernando 81, Manjula Bandara 61, Kasun Shamal 29, Mohomed Saharan 3/42, Kavindu Gihan 2/25, Prashan Dinusha 2/52)
• Hirdaramani – 137 (29.5) (L.E.W. Kasun 47, Lakshan de Silva 3/10, Kasun Shamal 3/29, Akila Elaboda 2/9)

3rd Quarter-Final at Darley Road: Mode Engineering beat Ansell Lanka by four wickets. 

• Ansell Lanka – 264/8 (40) (Krishan Maduranga 76, Sahan Harshana 54, Pathum Ekanayaka 50 not out, Jayamal Vithanarachchi 25, Sajeewa Deshapriya 20, Maheesh Theekshana 3/29, Manoj Keerthi 2/44)
• Mode Engineering – 267/6 (38.4) (R. Chandramohan 123, Geegana Gamage 65, Maheesh Theekshana 24, Krishan Maduranga 3/24)

4th Quarter-Final at D.S. Senanayake College: Nawaloka Hospitals beat NDB by 77 runs.

• Nawaloka Hospitals – 225/9 (40) (Tarindu Suraj 57, Samila Nadeesh 53, Thiwanka Kekulawala 33, Sanka Poorna 21, Ravindu Maduranga 2/13, Muditha Elpita 2/30, Danushka Sandaruwan 2/47)
• National Development Bank – 148 (31.1) (Sohan De Mel 44, Charuka Raveen 43, Muditha Elpitiya 20, Thivanka Kakulawela 3/23, Tarindu Suraj 2/10)

Semi Finals: 8 February with 9 February as reserve day. 

• Maliban Biscuits vs. David Pieris Motor Co. at MCA Grounds
• Mode Engineering vs. Nawaloka Hospitals at Mattegoda