Hayleys Group, CL Synergy in MCA Super Premier Knockout Final

The glorious uncertainties of cricket were amply displayed when debutants CL Synergy toppled the regaining “League” winner, Fairfirst Insurance, by eight wickets and entered the final of the 30th Singer-MCA Super Premier League 2023 Knockout tournament top-half semifinal, concluded on Saturday (13) at Katunayake.

CL Synergy went home to lunch as their bowlers, Isuru Udana (2/11), Sudeera Tillakaratne (3/10), and Sahan Arachchige (3/17), ripped through the strong Fairfirst batting line-up, limiting them to a paltry 62 runs in 31.1 overs. CL Synergy knocked off the required runs in just 6.5 overs, with opener Navod Paranavitana remaining unbeaten on 38.

In the bottom-half semifinal played at the MCA on the same day, Hayleys Group romped to a comfortable seven-wicket win over CDB Finance.

Batting first, CDB was restricted to 205 runs in 41.1 overs by Hayleys’ young pace bowler Santhush Gunatillaka (3/25) and spinners Prabath Jayasuriya (5/65) and Avishka Fernando (2/9).
Hayleys reached their target in 30.1 overs, losing only three wickets (209/3), their innings propelled by a breezy second-wicket stand of 101 runs in 89 balls between Ron Chandraguptha (57 in 68 balls, inclusive of a six and five fours) and TM Sampath (61 in 51 balls, inclusive of four sixes and six fours); Nawanidu Fernando (40 not out) and Ashen Bandara (41 not out) put the finishing touches with an unbroken 60-run stand in 34 balls.

Results:

Top-half semifinal: CL Synergy beat Fairfirst Insurance by eight wickets
Fairfirst Insurance 62 in 31.1 overs (Anuk Fernando 36; Isuru Udana 2/11, Sudeera Tillakaratne 3/10, Sahan Arachchige 3/17)
CL Synergy 63/2 in 6.5 overs (Navod Paranavitana 38 n.o., Kushan Wickramasinghe 22)
Bottom-half semifinal: Hayleys Group beat CDB Finance by seven wickets
CDB 205 in 41.1 overs (Oshada Fernando 65, Dhananjaya de Silva 48, Sithara Gimhana 26, Lakshitha Manasinghe 21; Santhush Gunatillake 3/25, Prabath Jayasuriya 5/65, Avishka Fernando 2/9)
Hayleys 209/3 in 30.1 overs (Ron Chandraguptha 57, TM Sampath 61, Navanidu Fernando 40 n.o., Ashen Bandara 41 n.o.; Lakshan Sandakan 2/49)
The final between Hayleys Group and CL Synergy will take place on Saturday, May 20, at the MCA Grounds, commencing at 10 a.m. BM