MAS Kandurata crush Wayamba

Chris DHAMBARAGE

MAS Kandurata set up a final showdown with Hirdaramani Ruhuna while completely outplaying Wayamba by nine wickets in the Bank of Ceylon Inter Provincial limited overs cricket tournament semifinal match worked off at the NCC ground in Maitland Place yesterday.

In the other semifinal match Ruhuna went through some anxious moments before overcoming the giant killers Basnahira South by 39 runs at the Moratuwa Stadium. The final between MAS Kandurata and Hirdaramani Ruhuna will be worked off on Sunday at the Moratuwa Stadium.

Kandurata put up a tremendous performance on the field to skittle out their opponents for just 123 runs in under 25 overs after they had won the toss and elected to field.

Opening bowler Thilina Thushara was the chief wrecker as he ripped through the Wayamba batting line up with a hostile spell of bowling which earned him a superb five wicket haul. Thushara returned excellent figures of five wickets for 39 from eight overs and together with Dilhara Fernando the pair really broke the heart of the Wayamba batting to make sure that there will be no contest at the end.

Kandurata then hit up the required runs from 20.1 overs following a splendid century opening partnership between Tharanga Paranavithana and Kaushalya Weeraratne who remained unbeaten on 67 with one six and eight boundaries.

Wayamba: 123 in 23.4 overs (J. Mubarak 23, K. Perera 27, T. Thushara 5 for 39, D. Fernando 2 for 20).

Kandurata: 124 for 1 in 20.1 overs (T. Paranavithana 43, K. Weeraratne 67 n.o)

Hirdaramani Ruhuna in morale-boosting win

Meanwhile Hirdaramani Ruhuna pulled off a morale boosting 39 runs victory over Basnahira South in their Bank of Ceylon Inter Provincial limited overs cricket tournament match worked off at the Moratuwa Stadium yesterday. Ruhuna did well to defend their modest total of 228 runs while dismissing their opponents for 189 in 47 overs. The spin trio of Sachithra Senanayake, Sajeewa Weerakoon and Sanath Jayasuriya did most of the damage with two wickets each.

Earlier Ruhuna managed to score only 228 runs after electing to bat first despite a good start from their openers Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya. However middle order batsman Indika de Saram played the sheet anchor role and steadied the innings with a fighting 76 from 107 balls including one six and half a dozen boundaries.

Ruhuna: 228 in 48.3 overs (U. Tharanga 39, S. Jayasuriya 23, I. de Saram 76, S. Senanayake 23, K. Kulasekera 28, R. Perera 3 for 47, J. Gunaratne 2 for 49, M. Bandara 2 for 35)

Basnahira South: 189 in 47 overs (L. Thirimanna 33, C. Silva 33, J. Gunaratne 27, P. Jayawardena 24, M. Bandara 22 n.o, S. Senanayake 2 for 27, S. Weerakoon 2 for 28, S. Jayasuriya 2 for 34).