By M. Shamil Amit

Kusal Mendis proved an unstoppable force scoring an unbeaten half-century to help SLC Reds to a comfortable seven-wicket win over SLC Blues in the final of the SLC Invitational T20 League played at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Monday.

Chasing a target of 137, Mendis struck four boundaries and a six, as the Reds chased down the target with 19 balls to spare, with contributions coming from Lasith Croospulle and Wanindu Hasaranga.

Croospulle got the chase off to a stunning start, scoring a six and two boundaries off the first over, in which the Reds got 16 runs, with Mendis taking two boundaries off Praveen Jayawickrama in the next over – the Reds reaching 31 for 0 after two overs.

By the time Croospulle was dismissed in the penultimate over of the Powerplay, the Reds had reached 49, needing just a further 88 runs for victory.

Suminda Lakshan removed Bhanuka Rajapaksa for nine in his first over, the Reds on 68 at that stage, but Kusal and Kamindu Mendis added a further 33 runs to take their team past the 100-run mark.

After Kamindu was caught in the deep, Wanindu Hasaranga struck four boundaries and scored 24 off 14 to take the Reds home – Mendis reaching his second fifty of the tournament in 42 balls, finishing as the leading run scorer.

Earlier in the day SLC Blues invited to take first lease of the wicket struggled for their runs and lost their first two wickets with the score on 34 runs in the sixth over.

Opener Lahiru Udara and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva began a recovery act as the pair seemed to settle but after having added 39 runs for the third-wicket the pair was separated with the dismissal of skipper de Silva.

Thereafter Udara did not last long being dismissed for 37 runs as the Blues slid to 87 for 4 in the 14th over.

Ashen Bandara joined by Janith Liyanage shared a valuable 42 runs for the fifth wicket before right arm pacie Asitha Fernando saw out the Blues innings which ended on 136 for 6.

SLC Blues 136 for 6 in 20 overs (Lahiru Udara 37, Dhananjaya de Silva 25, Ashen Bandara 40 n.o.: Maheesh Theekshana 2 for 22, Asitha Fernando 2 for 31)

SLC Reds 137 for 3 in 16.5 overs (Kusal Mendis 56 n.o., Lasith Croospulle 25, Wanindu Hasaranga 24, Praveen Jayawickrama 2 for 34)