Rain spoils SLT Five Eleven Inter Provincial final
Kandurata - Wayamba joint Champions:
MAS Kandurata Eleven and Lanka Bell Wayamba Eleven emerged joint
champions as the SLT ‘Five Elevens’ Inter Provincial limited overs
tournament final ended in a no decision due to bad weather at the SSC
ground in Maitland Place yesterday.
MAS Kandurata Eleven put into bat by Lanka Bell Wayamba Eleven
skipper Mahela Jayawardena reached 131 for 5 from 29.3 overs when rain
brought an end to the innings. The game of course was delayed by ninety
minutes due overnight rain and was restricted to 43 overs per side.
According to the Duckworth Lewis scoring method Lanka Bell Wayamba
were then given a restricted target of making 143 runs for victory from
25 overs after more than 30 overs were lost during the long stoppage for
bad weather.
However only six overs were possible after the resumption of play as
bad light and rain again halted play with Lanka Bell Wayamba on 37 for
no loss and well on course to reaching that revised victory target.
Dashing opener Mahela Udawatte led the way with a breezy 26 not out
from just 20 deliveries which also included one six and three
boundaries. Together with Sri Lanka opener Michael van Dort they went
about their task in style while maintaining a run rate of well over six
runs per over.
Udawatte was more severe on opening bowler Akalanka Ganegama who
conceded as many as 23 runs from his two overs.
But bad light prevented him from making further progress as the
umpires Asoka de Silva and Tyronne Wijewardena decided to call of the
game in consultation with the match referee Graham Labrooy.
Earlier the unbeaten MAS Kandurata Eleven struggled to reach 131 for
5 on a surface that offered a great amount of assistance to the bowlers.
They of course went into the final with their heads high having won all
four preliminary round matches convincingly.
The early dismissal of MAS Kandurata captain Kumar Sangakkara
certainly put them under tremendous pressure. The elegant left hander
was shaping up well for another big score having stroked three
delightful boundaries from the 11 deliveries he faced.
Sangakkara in fact was named as the player of the series later and
received a cash award of Rs. 100,000 from the chief guest Arjuna
Ranatunga Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket.
In addition the winners prize money was shared with each team
receiving a cash award of Rs. one million seven hundred and fifty
thousand.
MAS Kandurata however recovered to a certain extent through a third
wicket partnership of 67 runs from ten overs between opener Sajith
Fernando and Suraj Mohamed who was promoted in the batting order.
Fernando hit a fighting 44 from 58 deliveries with the help of eight
boundaries while Mohamed remained unbeaten on 42 having stroked three
boundaries.
MAS KANDURATA
T. Paranavithana c and b Welagedera 5
S. Fernando c Jayawardena b Mendis 44
K. Sangakkara c de Silva b Amerasinghe 13
S. Mohamed not out 42
C. Kapugedera c de Silva b Mendis 10
T. Samaraweera c Mendis b Lokuarachchi 2
EXTRAS (b2, lb4, w9) 15
TOTAL for 5 wickets in 29.3 overs 131
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-11, 2-31, 3-98, 4-124, 5-131
BOWLING: C. Welagedera 6-1-39-1, F. Maharoof 6-0-27-0,
I. Amerasinghe 5-1-21-1, K. Lokuarachchi 6.3-0-25-1, A. Mendis 6-0-13-2.
LANKA BELL WAYAMBA
M. van Dort not out 10
M. Udawatte not out 26
EXTRAS (lb1) 1
TOTAL for no loss in 6 overs 37
BOWLING: A. Ganegama 2-0-23-0, K. Weeraratne 2-0-5-0,
S. Mohamed 1-0-2-0, S. Fernando 1-0-6-0. |
