HNB keep Mercantile title for third year

Hatton National Bank retained the Mercantile 'A' division limited over championship trophy for the third consecutive year, when they convincingly beat Access Group by seven wickets in a repeat-final of the 1998 tournament at the P. Sara Stadium on Monday.

'Man of the match' Saman Jayantha (62) together with Russel Arnold (48) put together a match-winning stand of 108 runs for the fourth wicket to see their team through.

Jayantha faced 67 balls hitting nine boundaries while Arnold used only 41 deliveries, six of which he despatched to the fence.

The Access bowlers slowed the bowling rate under gloomy conditions to check the HNB run rate, but failed in their attempt as the required runs were knocked off in 24.3 overs.

Defending a target of 176 runs, Access' tactics of using five fast bowlers to slow down the game, with the hope of rain coming to save them proved futile as some indisciplined bowling saw them concede 34 extras.

The match was reduced to 49 overs per side, due to wet wicket conditions forcing a delayed start.

HNB skipper Kumar Dharmasena invited Access to take first lease of the wicket and soon had them in trouble taking two wickets for 28 runs in the eighth over.

The in-form opener Gayan Wijekoon joined by the experienced Aravinda de Silva put together a 41-run stand for the third wicket. Wijekoon was out for 23 and De Silva was dismissed in the next over for 19 when TM Dilshan held onto a superb catch off Shanuka Dissanayake.

Thereafter, Access were struggling with only Anil Ridigammanagedera (32) putting up a solitary fight against the HNB spin attack. Number eleven bat Pramodya Wickremasinghe smashed the ball around in an eventful final over to make 31 runs and bring the Access total to a respectable 176 for nine.

Wickremasinghe's onslaught started from the second ball when Sajeeva de Silva dropped him on the boundary line to concede a six. Two more towering sixes cost HNB 22 runs in the over.

A mix up of ends saw Wickremasinghe retain the strike instead of being at the non-striker's end which led to some remarks being cast at the umpire by the HNB players. Wickramasinghe had crossed the dismissed batsman in the last ball of the previous over, and retained the strike in the final over, which the umpires failed to take note of.

Skipper Dharmasena (3/23) bowled well for HNB in his 10 overs while Sanjeewa Weerakoon (2/27) and Chinthaka Jayasinghe(2/27) gave him a good support.