Star-studded CDB retain MCA T10 Tier A crown

CDB retained the MCA T10 Tier A title

Runners-up Abans Group 

Text and pix by P.D. De Silva

A star-studded team representing Citizens Development Business Finance (CDB) led by Tharinda Rathnayake edged out Abans Group by six wickets to retain the Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) T10 Tier A crown in the final played at the CCC Ground on Sunday night.

Electing to bat first under lights, Abans Group lost both their openers in the first two overs, bowled by Nuwan Thushara and Navindu Prabash, but Kevin Samuel and Dilshan de Zoysa steadied the Abans innings with a 54-run stand for the third wicket before Samuel fell victim to Dunith Wellalage. In the chase, Vishad Randika smashed 44 runs off 22 balls, while Wellalage scored 31 off 15 balls and Movin Subasinghe scored an unbeaten 31 off 8 balls with one four and four sixes to win the game with six wickets and seven balls remaining. 

A total of seven fours and 20 towering sixes out of the park were scored by both teams in the final. 

In the semi-finals played in the morning, Savidu Uthsara captured three wickets while Kavinda Ishwara smashed an unbeaten 50 off 23 balls with three boundaries and five sixes to help Abans Group to the finals with an emphatic eight-wicket win. 

In the second semi-final, a 25-ball 55 with three hits to the ropes and five over from Angelo Perera and a four-fer from Nuwan Thushara helped CDB Finance book their place in the final.

In a game reduced to four overs per team, Sampath Bank defeated David Peiris Group by seven wickets to clinch the third spot in the Tier A tournament. 

 CDB Team for the final:

Tharinda Rathnayake (Captain), Movin Subasinghe, Nuditha Lakshan, Navindu Prabash, Vishad Randika (wk), Vishwa Dhanajaya, Asadisa de Silva, Angelo Perera, Dunith Wellalage, Nuwan Thushara, Shevon Daniel 

Abans Group Team for the final:

Sudara Dakshina (Captain), Dishan de Zoysa , Duranka Silva, Kaveesha Dulanjana, Kavinda Ishwara, Mihiranga Fernando, Nilanka Premerathne, Romesh Suranga, Savindu Uthsara, Shalith Fernando (wk), Kevin Samuel 

Best Bowler of the Tournament: Nuwan Thushara of CDB

Best Batsman of the Tournament: Lahiru Samarakoon of David Peiris Group

Player of the Tournament: Lahiru Samarakoon of David Peiris Group

Player of the Final: Vishad Randika of CDB 

Scores:

Third-place playoff (four overs per side)

*Sampath Bank beat David Peiris Group by 7 wickets in a last-ball thriller

David Peiris Group 54/5 (4) (Lahiru Samarakoon 20, Asitha Wanninayake 10; Abhishek Anandakumar 1-21, Chamath Dilsara 1-08, Hansaja Bandara 1-11)

Sampath Bank 55/3 (4) (Dulaj Ashen 14, Chamath Dilsara 18, Adithya Siriwardena 18*; Lahiru Samarakoon 1-15, Dilanka Auwardt 1-10) 

Semi-Finals

*Savindu and Kavinda steer Abans Group to an eight-wicket win

Sampath Bank 73/7 (10) (Gajitha Kotuwegoda 17, Abhishek Anandakumar 14, Dileepa Jayalath 15*; Nilanka Premarathne 1-11, Savindu Uthsara 3-05, Kaveesha Dulanjana 1-15)

Abans Group 76/2 (6.3) (Kavinda Ishwara 50*, Kevin Samuel 10; Duminda Sewmina 1-14, Dileepa Jayalath 1-29) 

*Angelo’s 55 and Nuwan Thushara’s four-fer take CDB Finance to final

CDB Finance A 108/10 (9.5) (Shevon Daniel 21, Angelo Perera 55, Muditha Lakshan 20; Manjula Bandara 1-08, Lahiru Samarakoon 1-20, Tharinda Nirmal 1-14, Dilanka Auwardt 3-18, Lakshan de Silva 1-04)

David Peiris Group A 89/9 (10) (Ron Chandragupta 15, Asitha Wanninayake 38, Ravindu Sembukutty 11, Vinuka Rubasinghe 16; Nuwan Thushara 4-11, Movin Subasinghe 2-16, Vishwa Dananjaya 2-08) 

Final

*Vishad, Dunith and Movin power CDB to six-wicket win

Abans Group 116/7 (10) (Kevin Samuel 47, Dilshan de Zoysa 24, Savindu Uthsara 15; Nuwan Thushara 2-07, Navindu Parabash 2-20, Dunith Wellalage 2-22)

CDB 122/4 (8.5) (Vishad Randika 44, Dunith Wellalage 31, Movin Subasinghe 31*; Sudara Dakshina 1-19, Kaveesha Dulanjana 2-15)