HNB surrender Mercantile 'A' title to Seylan Bank

Hatton National Bank's three-year dominance of the Mercantile 'A' division cricket title was ended at the NCC grounds on Wednesday evening when Seylan Bank defeated them easily by seven wickets to emerge League champions.

HNB had won the `A' division title four times in the past five years since 1996, and consecutively in the past three years. Seylan won it in 1997.

The decisive match of the league saw Seylan dismiss HNB for 144 in 45 overs and knock off the runs in style using up 36 overs to pass the total.

The architects of Seylan's victory were national players Chaminda Vaas and skipper Mahela Jayawardene. Vaas ran through the top order picking up the first two wickets to have HNB struggling at 12 for 2 after they had won the toss and decided to bat first. The defending champs never recovered from that early loss off wickets and failed to put together any substantial partnership.

Seylan kept HNB tied down by accurate bowling and sharp fielding so much so that the big hitting Avishka Gunawardana required 68 balls to make a top score of 30, and Kumar Dharmasena used up 62 balls for his unbeaten 26.

Vaas returned for his late spell to capture two further wickets and finish with the impress figures of four for 19 off 8.5 overs, two of which were maidens. Leg-spinner Suranjith Silva picked up three for 28.

Seylan began their chase with an opening stand of 43 between Nuwan Shiroman and Malintha Perera, but faltered when they lost three wickets for eight runs to the spin of Dharmasena and Sajeeva Weerakoon.

However, Jayawardene who has shown excellent form in the tournament and Naveed Nawaz put the issue beyond doubt when they figured in an unfinished fourth wicket partnership of 94 to see Seylan through.

Jayawardene raced to a splendid half-century and finished undefeated on 60 scored off 56 balls with seven fours and a six. Nawaz was unbeaten on 29.

JANASHAKTHI REQUEST A REPLAY

Janashakthi has requested the Mercantile CA for a replay of their match against E-wis which was abandoned without a ball bowled due to unsuitable grounds conditions at Bloomfield on Tuesday.

The result deprived Janashakthi from qualifying for the knockout round of the competition where only the top four teams are considered.

According to the current standings Seylan Bank, Hatton National Bank, Access Group and John Keells have qualified to play in the knockout which commences on June 16 with the final scheduled for June 24.