Lasith Malinga 3/14 vs. Army fires NCC into SLC Inter-Club T20 final

Former Sri Lanka star paceman Lasith Malinga claimed 3 wickets for 14 in 3.1 overs in NCC’s semi-final win over Army in the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Inter-Club T20 Tournament at the P. Saravanamuththu Stadium yesterday.  Army, opting to bat first, was dismissed for 102 in 17.1 overs and NCC reached home on 108 for 4 in 14.2 overs.

Malinga clean bowled opening batsman D.A. Randika for 13 to reduce Army to 19 for 1 and followed up with the wicket of S. Ridma whom he trapped leg before wicket for a duck with no addition to the total. Army reached 33 without further loss before co-opener L.K. Franscisco was run out for 6. He was followed by former Sri Lanka player Seekuge Prasanna for 8 making it 4 for 33 as the slide continued. The top scorer was H.S. Liyanage with 23 off 25 balls inclusive of 2 boundaries followed by L.E.K. Edirisinghe 16 off 20 with one boundary and A.J.C Silva 16 off 16. Silva was clean bowled by Malinga for his third victim. S.N. Peiris claimed 2 for 18 off 4 overs.

NCC’s run chase was sustained by a 36-run opening alliance between  former Sri Lanka player Niroshan Dickwella who made 27 off 19 balls containing 2 boundaries and 2 sixes and  Banuka Rajapaksa who made 27 off 19 striking 2 boundaries and 2 sixes. Next man in L.U. Igalagamage made 25 off 18 with 4 boundaries taking the total to 60 for 2 when Rajapaksa exited. NCC reached the target with A.K. Perera unbeaten on 8 and P.C. de Silva on 11.

Chief scores:

Army 102 in 17.1 overs

(H.S. Liyanage 23, L.E.K. Edirisinghe 16, A.J.C Silva 16, L. Mailinga 3/14, S.N. Peiris 2/8).

NCC 108/4 in 17.1 overs

(N. Dickwella 27, Banuka Rajapaksa 27, L.U. Igalagamage 25, P.C. de Silva n.o. 11, A.K. Perera n.o. 8).

By Srian Obeyesekere

-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-