MCA “E” Division 25 over League Final Hayleys Group “B” snatch dramatic three-run win over Stafford Motors

A mesmerising spell of left-arm off-spin bowling by Pavith Ratnayake (5/22) guided Hayleys Group “B” to a dramatic three-run win over Stafford Motors in the 20th David Pieris Group of Companies sponsored “DPGC” Challenge Trophy – MCA “E” division 25 over League Tournament 2023 final, which concluded on Saturday (11) at the MCA grounds.

Stafford Motors, chasing a victory target of 155 runs in 25 overs, was in deep trouble at one stage, losing seven wickets for 97 runs in 19 overs.

No. 7 batsman Janitha Fernando (39 in 27 balls, inclusive of 4 fours) and No. 9 batsman Sasika Perera (19 n.o. in 16 balls, inclusive of 1 six and 1 four) put Stafford Motors back on track with a fighting 35-run stand for the seventh wicket in 20 balls to push the total forward, until Hayleys’ bowling hero, Pavith Ratnayake, who bowled his last over in the 22nd of the innings, got the vital breakthrough when he got Fernando caught in the deep by Tashik Perera.

Sahan Nanayakkara bowled the 24th over for Hayleys and gave away 10 runs, as Stafford Motors went into the last over needing 12 runs.

Opening batsman Sandura Dimantha was surprisingly called for the first time to bowl the final over. Dimantha, who gave away nine runs in his first five balls, bowled a dot ball in his last as Hayleys snatched the close win.

Earlier on, Hayleys “B”, who won the toss and elected to bat, got off to a solid start, with openers Dimantha (27 in 24 balls, inclusive of 1 six and 2 fours) and Maduranga Zoyza (20 in 18 balls, inclusive of 2 fours) engaging in a 51-run stand. One-drop batsman Mahesh Deepal chipped in with 27 runs (3 fours), as Hayleys “B”, with an added bonus of 16 runs as extras, closed their innings at 154/7 in 25 overs. Right-arm off-spinner Sajeeva Vishan was the pick of the bowlers for Stafford Motors, finishing with 3/21.

Special Awards: Match Referee Susilough de S. Wijeratne picked Pavith Ratnayake (Hayleys “B”) as his Man of the Match. The other three awards, based on performances up to the semi-finals, went to Bawantha Jayasinghe from Ceylinco General Insurance (Best Batsman and Man of the Series – 342 runs, and 9 wickets for 127 runs in six innings); and Tharaka Dinesh Ratnayake from Teejay Lanka (Best Bowler – 18 wickets for 171 runs).

At the post-tournament presentation, the awards were given away by: Chief Marketing Officer, Assetline Finance Ltd., Ajantha Premasiri (Chief Guest), Deputy General Manager (Service), David Pieris Motor Co. (Pvt) Ltd., Channa Ranawaka (Guest of Honor) and MCA Officials Thushan Amarasuriya (VP), Tarindra Kaluperuma (General Secretary), and Lakmal de Silva (Chairman, Tournament Committee).

- BM

Chief Scores

Hayleys Group RC “B”: 154/7 in 25 overs (Sandaru Dimantha 27, Maduranga Zoysa 20, Mahesh Deepal 27, Mihindu Ariyaratne 22; Sajeewa Vishan 3/21)
Stafford Motor Co.: 151/8 in 25 overs (Kalpa Peshan 24, Romesh Fernando 21, Janitha Fernando 39, Sasika Perera 19 n.o.; Pavith Ratnayake 5/22)