HNB Finance downs Sri Lanka Telecom to claim NDB Challenge Trophy

The winning captain from HNB Finance, Heshitha Gamage (fourth from left), receiving the NDB Challenge Trophy from Chief Guest NDB Personal Banking Branch Network Management Senior Vice President Sanjaya Perera (third from left). Others present (from left): MCA Tournament Committee General Secretary Sirosha Gunatillake, MCA Tournament Committee President Rohana Dissanayake, NDB Bank Senior Marketing Manager Lanka Aviriwatte and NDB Bank Chairman Tarindra Kaluperuma

HNB Finance exacted sweet revenge on Sri Lanka Telecom with a comprehensive 91-run win in the final of the MCA ‘C’ Division 50-over League Tournament 2020, sponsored by National Development Bank Plc, to take charge of the brand new NDB Challenge Trophy, after action concluded on 7 March at the Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) grounds.

When the two teams met each other earlier on in the round-robin stage, Sri Lanka Telecom convincingly beat HNB Finance by four wickets.

SLT won the toss and put HNB Finance in to bat on a lively wicket. SLT’s opening bowlers Ian Devin and Sachin Devangana bowled with a lot of purpose and shackled the HNB Finance top-order batsman. 

Opening batsman Kasun Ekanayake had to retire hurt after he was hit by a bouncer and Captain Heshitha Gamage (No. 3) was out cheaply for four runs. 

Slow and painfully, HNB Finance tackled the SLT attack with some sensible batting through Muditha Fernando (46 in 72 balls, inclusive of 6 fours) and Vindika Chandrasiri (41 off 56 balls with 1 six and 4 fours), who put on 90 runs off 116 balls for the second wicket. 

By the 25th over, HNB Finance was 113 for 3. Their innings was further consolidated through useful contributions made by their middle-order batsmen Sanoj Dharshika (56 runs off 68 balls with 3 fours), Thushara Fernando (24) and Janith Perera (24), as they finished with a challenging total of 263 for 9 in 50 overs. SLT’s left-arm leg spinner Inshanka Siriwardena bowled his heart out to bag 5 for 47 in his 10 overs. 

Both teams were depleted, losing some of their top players, who opted to play for their clubs. HNB Finance was without their centurion Pathum Mendis in the semi-finals and their star bowled Umeshka Morais. SLT missed their in-form batsman Adeesha Thilakshana and all-rounder Damitha Silva. 

SLT started off badly, losing three wickets for 50 runs in 10 overs. They got back on track with two solid partnerships, both of which involved Nimesh Mendis who was bating at No. 5 (56 in 45 balls, inclusive of 3 sixes and 6 fours) – 45 runs in 38 balls for the fourth wicket with opener Sachin Divangana (27) and 51 runs in 48 balls for the fifth wicket with Anjan Marran (eight runs off 32 balls). 

HNB Finance’s opening bowler Ayesh Madushanka, returning for his second spell in the 21st over, made the vital breakthrough, getting the wicket of Nimesh Mendis (145 for 5 in 24.3 overs). 

After the exit of Mendis, the remaining batsman fell like nine pins, bowled out for 172 runs off 34.1 overs. The chief wrecker was spinner Tharusha Fernando (a replacement for Umeshka Morais), who finished with impressive figures of 6.1-13-05, which earned him the Man of the Match Award, decided by Match Referee Thusitha Karunaratne.

The other three awards based on performances up to the semi-finals went to Umeshka Morais from HNB Finance for being the Best Bowler (six matches, 54 overs, 159 runs and 16 wickets); Sandaru Chanditha Wickramaratne from PABC Bank who was named the Best Batsman (four innings, 249 runs, with one century and one half-century, avg. 62.25) and Gimhan Ashirvada from Commercial Bank who was selected as the Man of the Series (169 runs and 11 wickets for 175 runs). 

At the post-tournament awards presentation which took place after the final, NDB Awards were given away by NDB Personal Banking and Branch Network Management Senior Vice President Sanjaya Perera and Marketing Senior Manager Lanka Aviriwatte, along with the MCA Tournament Committee President Rohana Dissanayake, MCA Tournament Committee General Secretary Sirosha Gunatillake and MCA Tournament Committee Chairman Tarindra Kaluperuma.

Chief Scores

HNB Finance – 263 for 9 in 50 overs (Kasun Ekanayake 19, Muditha Fernando 46, Vindaka Chandrasiri 41, Sanoj Dharshika 56, Tharusha Fernando 24, Janith Perera 24, Nipun Lakshan 18, Inshaka Siriwardena 5/47)

Sri Lanka Telecom – 172 all out in 34.1 overs (Sachin Divangana 27, Nimesh Mendis 56, Inshaka Siriwardena 21, Ayesh Madushanka 2/29, Tharusha Fernando 5/13)