Dialog Axiata, English Tea Shop and Central Finance registered wins when the first round matches of the 7th CBL Munchee – MCA Challengers League continued on Sunday.
At the Mercantile Cricket Association ground, a six-wicket haul followed by an unbeaten 43 runs by Maleesha Silva helped Dialog Axiata crush Colombo Dockyard by nine wickets. Maleesha and Chandula Premanath shared eight wickets between them to restrict Colombo Dockyard to 73 runs and clinch the win in the 10th over to boost Dialog’s Net Run Rate.
In another low-scoring game at Nalanda College ground, English Tea Shop handed Nations Trust Bank their third loss in the tournament, defeating them by five wickets. Semila Liyanage and Lahiru Gamage shared seven wickets to restrict Nations Trust Bank to 78 runs, and English Tea Shop scored the win needed in the 14th over with five wickets in hand.
At the FTZ ground Katunayake, an all-round performance by Isuru Gunasekera [31 runs and 4-33] was in vain as Central Finance overcame People’s Leasing PLC by three wickets. Chanaka Jayanetti captured three wickets and scored an unbeaten 22 for the winners.
At MCA
Maleesha’s six-fer and unbeaten 43 helps Dialog Axiata crush Colombo Dockyard by nine wickets: Colombo Dockyard 73/10 in 24.0 overs (Ruwan Kumara 30; Chandula Premanath 2-16, Maleesha Silva 6-03) lose to Dialog Axiata 74/1 in 09.1 overs (Sithum Silva 23, Maleesha Silva 43*; Uchitha Alankara 1-17).
At Nalanda College
Semila and Lahiru star in English Tea Shop’s five-wicket win: Nations Trust Bank 78/10 in 24.1 overs (Devaka Peiris 27; Lahiru Gamage 3-21, Semila Liyanage 4-16) lose to English Tea Shop 81/5 in 13.3 overs (Nuwan Wijesinghe 33, Lahiru Gamage 18*; Sachithra Weerarathne 3-29).
At FTZ, Katunayake
Central Finance defeat People’s Leasing PLC by three wickets: People’s Leasing PLC 111/10 in 34.3 overs (Isuru Gunasekera 31, Arjuna Perera 20; Anura Karunarathne 2-15, Udesha Rambukwella 2-26, Chanaka Jayanetti 3-24, Pahan Binara 2-15) lose to Central Finance 112/7 in 31.0 overs (Akila Jayarathne 31, Chanaka Jayanetti 22*; Isuru Gunasekera 4-33, Tharusha Nadun 2-18)