Iyalarasan’s seven-wicket haul goes in vain

A fantastic spell of pace bowling by K. Iyalarasan (8.2-0 – 32- 07) and a gusty batting performance by Jehan Daniel (59 in 57 balls, 5x4s, 3x6s) went in vain for debutants, BBK Partnership, as their opponents, the fancied CDB Finance snatched a heart-stopping two runs win, over them, in the 30th Singer –MCA Super Premier League 2023, ‘Knock-out’ Tournament quarter-finals, concluded on Thursday(11).

The twice postponed tournament, due to bad weather did not escape the rain this time too, as two of the quarter-finals ended without a result; the matches being the second Quarter Final, between debutants, CL Synergy and the defending champions, HNB at NCC and the fourth quarter-final, between Hayleys Group and John Keells Group at Thurstan College grounds.

According to the tournament rules, the team that held the higher position in the ‘League’ Points Table, CL Synergy (L/4) and Hayleys Group (L/2) thus, advanced to the semi-finals.

In the first quarter-final the current ‘League’ winner, Fairfirst Insurance coasted to a comfortable five wickets win over Mode Engineering.

The semi-finals will be played today with Fairfirst Insurance and CL Synergy meeting at Katunayake and CDB Finance encountering Hayleys Group at MCA.

 Match Results.

Quarter-final 1. at Katunayake

Fairfirst Insurance beat Mode Engineering by five wickets.

Mode Engineering 165 all out in 28 overs (Niroshan Dickwella 86, Dulaj Ashen 45; K. Dhanushka 3/47, Thanuka Dabare 3/34, Asel Sigera 3/24)

Fairfirst Insurance 166 for 5 in 27.1 overs (Anuk Fernando 47, Asel Sigerea 29n.o.; C. Jayatillake 2/20, S. Dulshan 2/56)

Quarter-final 2 at NCC CL Synergy V. HNB ended in a no result.

CLS 190 all out in 37 overs

HNB 64 for 1 in 8 overs when rain halted play.

Quarter-final 3 at MCA CDB Finance beat BBK Partnership by two runs.

CDB 190 all out in 32.2 overs (S. Gimhana 51, Oshada Fernando 39, Dhananjaya de Silva 38; K. Iyalarasan 7/32, M. Kavilan 2/28)

BBK P – 188 all out in 49.5 overs (Sangeeth Cooray 42, Jehan Daniel 59, V. Viyaskanth 35; L. Madusanka 2/12, L. Sandakan 3/38, Dhananjaya de Silva 3/19)

Quarter-final 4 at Thurstan Hayleys Group V John Keells Group ended in no result.

JK 191/9 in 31.5 overs (A. Wickramasinghe 54, S. Jayatillake 46n.o.; S. Nanayakkara 2/23, K. Anjula 2/28)

Hayleys 49 for 1 in 7 overs when rain halted play.