Weather holds the key, when John Keells meet HNB in the Final of the 29 th Singer-MCA Super Premier League 2022, on 5 th June, (Sunday) at the MCA Grounds. The first part of the tournament the “League” was completed on 17 th May; Table top, unbeaten, Citizens Development Business Finance, emerged as the winner of the league title.
The Knock-out segment, the trailer to the league got underway on 19 th May with the two qualifying matches, followed by the semi finals on 21 st May. John Keells was placed third in the, league points table, with 3 wins and 2 losses, accumulating a total of 13 points and a Net run rate of plus 0.407.
In the knock-out they took on League No. 6, Sampath Bank whom they beat by three wickets and in the Semi Finals, they met League No. 2, Mode Engineering , whom they beat by seven wickets.
Taking the spot light for John Keells are Duvindu Tillakaratne 5 for 15 Vs. Sampath Bank and 3 for 28 vs. Mode Engineering and Ahan Wickramasinghe 102 not out vs. Mode Engineering.
John Keells have not been able to win the title yet, though they have reached the Final on three occasions, in 2002 they lost to HNB at NCC, in 2014 they lost to MAS Unichela at SSC and in 2015 they lost to MAS Active Trading at MCA . HNB was placed fifth in the league points table, with one win, three losses and one No Result, gaining 6 points and a Net Run Rate of minus 0.938.
In the “Knock-out” , they met League No. 4, Hayleys in the first Qualifier, whom they beat by five wickets, in the Semi finals, they met the league winner, CDB, whom they beat by two wickets.
Hogging the lime light for HNB are veteran, Chamara Silva, making a come back to HNB, 65 not out Vs. Hayleys and 36 not out Vs. CDB Finance and Madhawa Warnapura 2 for 36 Vs. Hayleys and 3 for 34 and 41 runs vs. CDB Finance.
It is a good come back for HNB, as they last figured in this Final in 2013. HNB have won it five times in the past; 2001 beating Seylan Bank at NCC, 2002 beating John Keells at NCC, 2003 beating Seylan Bank at NCC, 2005 beating East West Marketing at SSC, 2006 being joint winners with Sampath Bank final washed out at NCC and 2013 runners-up to MAS Active at Colts. When the two teams met each other in “league” on 8 th of May, at the CCC Grounds, John Keells won by 32 runs, JK, batting first scored 205 in 46.5 overs and HNB replied with 173 in 45.4 overs. The Match Referee and the Adjudicator is Ravi Punchihewa.
TEAMS
HNB (from) : Madawa Warnapura (Capt.) .Chamara Silva, .Dilshan Munaweera, Gayan Sirisoma, Damitha Hunukumbura, Nimesh Perera, Deshan Dias, Dellon Peiris, Chamindu Wijesinghe, Ranmith Jayasena, Kasun Abeyratne, Ishak Sahabdeen, Raveen de Silva, Kemira Wijenayake, Mahasen Ranasinghe, Pasindu Ushettige, Madushan Pathirage & Wimukthi Perera.
JOHN KEELLS (from) : Ishan Jayaratne (Capt), Sheran Fonseka , Umeshka Morais, Sachitha Jayathilake, Kavin Bandara, Navod Parnavithana, Malindu Shehan ,Shashika Dulshan Supun Kavinda, Malinga Amarasinghe, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Dilshad Mohamed, Akila Dhananjaya, Sadeera Samarawickrama (W/K), Mohomed Shiras and Duvindu Tillakaratne
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