Mast Far East dethrones Brandix Essentials to win Apparel T20 Premier League title

Fighting every inch of the way, Mast Far East, last year’s runners-up, dethroned defending champions Brandix Essentials, beating them by three wickets with three deliveries to spare, in a heart-stopping final of the third Apparel T20 Premier League 2017, which concluded at the Thurstan College grounds on Sunday.

In the playoff for third place, which took place in the morning, Bodyline Ltd. cruised to a 153-run win over a jaded Coutaulds Clothing team.

In the final that followed, Brandix Essentials, sent into bat, scored 144 for 9 in 20 overs, riding on a 65-run partnership from 38 balls for the fourth wicket between Hashan Madushanka (51 in 26 balls, inclusive of three sixes and six fours) and opener Shan Nilaksha (38). Earlier on, Nilaksha was engaged in a 45-run opening stand from 49 balls with Kasun Ishara (25). 

Mast Far East off spinner Sampath Herath accounted for the valuable wickets of the Brandix openers Nilaksha and Ishara and one drop batsman Udaya Dushan (0), thus finishing with impressive figures of 4-18-3.

Mast Far East, chasing a victory target of 145 in 20 overs (RPO 7.25), was comfortably placed at the end of 10th over with the scoreboard reading 92 for 3.

Brandix skipper Amila Prabath, who opened the bowling and took himself off after bowling one over, came back in the 12th over and completely changed the complexion of the game by securing a hat-trick maiden. Prabath’s first victim was Mast Far East’s star batsman Rasika Wickramaratne (15), who was caught and bowled in the first ball. He then clean bowled Nuwan Anthony and got Hashan Hirantha caught behind. His other three deliveries were dot balls.

But the steady batting of opener Bimal de Silva (31 runs in 20 balls, inclusive of a six and 5 fours) and one drop batsman Aravinda Rajapaksa (25 in 14 balls with a six and 3 fours) before the debacle held Mast Far East in good stead as they needed 48 runs from 48 balls with four wickets in hand. 

The batsmen at the wickets under pressure were the diminutive Kasun Fernando (29 runs in 31 balls, inclusive of 4 fours) and the burly Sajeeka Jayawardena (15 not out from 20 balls with one boundary) who bravely held the fort by putting on 36 runs for the seventh wicket, thus clearing the road for Mast Far East to post an exciting three-wicket win with three deliveries to spare. 

Special awards (excluding the final):

Best Bowler: Sampath Herath from Mast Far East

Best Batsman: Ramindu Nadeeshan from Coutaulds Clothing     

Man of the Series: Aravinda Rajapaksa from MAST Far East 

Special Awards for the Final adjudicated by Match Referee S.M. Faumi:

Best Bowler: Amila Prabath from Brandix Essentials 

Best Batsman: Hashan Madushanka from Brandix Essentials

Man of the Match: Kasun Fernando from Mast Far East

Associated with the post-tournament awards presentation were national cricketers Dhammika Prasad, Malinga Bandara and Ajantha Mendis along with Mast Far East Country Manager Rod Hobbs and Brandix Essentials CEO Ranga Ranmadugalla. 

Chief scores 

Morning: Third place play-off - Bodyline beat Coutaulds Clothing by 153 runs 

Bodyline – 227/5 (20.0) (W. Neranjan 65, T. Thivanka 53, S. Haputhanthri 36, G. Ratnakumara 33 not out)   

Coutaulds Clothing – 74 (17.2) (P. Wickramasinghe 20, S. Haputhanthri 2/25, G. Sepalage 2/8, A. Ishan 2/4)

Afternoon - Final: MAST Far East beat Brandix Essentials by three wickets 

Brandix Essentials – 144/9 (20.0) (Shan Nilaksha 38, Kasun Ishara 25, Hashan Madushanka 51, Sampath Herath 3/18)

MAST Far East - 145/7 (19.3) (Bimal de Silva 31, Aravinda Rajapaksa 25, Kasun Fernando 29, Amila Prabath 3/18)