McCallum Cargo clinch MCA 'F' Division title

McCallum Cargo skipper Selwin Perera became the cynosure of all eyes, as he came up with a brilliant all round performance to steer his team to a 21 runs win over debutants, ESER Marketing in the MCA President's Cup, MCA Division 'F' 30-overs league tournament Final, at the MCA grounds recently.

McCallum Cargo sent into bat by the ESER Marketing Captain, Gihan Ekanayake, got off to a shocking start losing opener Viraj Fernando with no runs on the board and then his partner Sudath Nalaka at 02. Both wickets falling in the first over bowled by Dinudha Madisanka.

They further slid to 3 for 27 and 4 for 45. Selwin Perera's entrance to the wicket changed the entire complexion of the game as he became the nucleus of McCallum Cargo innings with two productive partnerships with Lasitha Suwandaratne (50 runs for the 05th wicket) and Anil de Mel (36 not out in 36 balls with 03 fours & 02 sixes.)

The unbroken Perera - De Mel partnership for the 06th wicket yielded 85 runs in 67 balls, helping McCallum Cargo to finish with a challenging total of 176 for 5 in 30 overs.

Eser Marketing in their run-chase, got off on the wrong footing, losing opener, Harindra Eladatte, run out, off the very first delivery of the innings and lost two more wickets cheaply at 15 & 25.

The ship was some what steadied by Dimuth HettiarachchiA (35) and Supun Samaraweera (40) with a 60 runs partnership for the 04th wicket.

As things were settling down, Selwin Perera brought himself in and got the vital wickets of Hettiarachchi and Samaraweera, which spelt doom for Eser Marketing, who eventually fell short by 21 runs, board reading 155 for 8 in 30 overs.

Selvin Perera's sterling all round performance of 71 not out in 58 balls, lased with 4 fours and 03 sixes and 4 for 20 in 06 overs made things easy for the match referee, Nelvin Noyahr to adjudge him as the man-of-the match.

Selwin Perera, was the only centurion in the tournament (104 Vs. Citi Bank NA) and the only batsman to top the 300 runs make in the tournament (08 innings 300 runs, 03 not outs, Avg 60.0).

The nagging led spinner had a haul of 20 wickets for 150 runs in the tournament. Thus, Selwin Perera richly deserved the 21 inch, Singer colour TV presented by Ne-Bri-JA Enterprises for the Man-of-the-series.

The other two special awards went to Mercantile Investments Gayan Wickramaratne , Best Bowler (11 wickets for 86 runs in the league stage best being his 05 wickets for 04 runs Vs. Arpico) and Citi Bank's, Naleen Pradeep Kumara, Best Batsman (236 runs in the league stage, best being his 97 runs Vs. Informatics).

McCallum Cargo: 176 for 5 in 30 overs (Dinesh Suranga 22, L. SuwandratneA 15, Selwin Perera 71 not out, Anil de Mel 36 not out, D. Madushanka 2/18)

Eser Marketing: 155 for 8 in 30 overs (Gihan Ekanayake 15, Dimuth Hettiarachchi 35, Supun Samaraweera 40, D. Madusanka 17 not out, Selvin Perera 4/20)