Basnahira South-Wayamba final

Chris DHAMBARAGE

CRICKET: Basnahira South and Wayamba Province won their respective semi-final matches to enter the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) organised SLT Inter-Provincial Twenty20 Tournament final at the SSC grounds in Maitland Place today.

Basnahira South came from behind to beat Kandurata Province by 14 runs in a thrilling first semifinal fixture at the SSC grounds while Wayamba Province edged out Ruhuna Province 3-2 in the Bowl out system after their second semifinal match was abandoned due to bad light and rain.

Defending a modest total of 137 runs Basnahira South came back to restrict their opponents to 123 for 8 from 20 overs. Kandurata Province were cruising along at one stage after openers Kanchana Gunawardena and Tharanga Paranavithana had put on 43 runs from 5.4 overs. Skipper Kumar Sangakkara and Chamara Kapugedera then consolidated their position with significant contributions in the middle order. However, Basnahira South kept on capturing wickets at regular intervals through some splendid bowling putting pressure on the late order batsmen.

Medium paceman Chinthaka Perera was the chief wrecker returning outstanding figures of 4 wickets for 19 runs while Suranga Lakmal provided the back up support with an excellent last over.

Earlier, Basnahira South struggled to reach a modest 137 for 9 after they had been put into bat. They got off to a good start with skipper Tillekeratne Dilshan leading the way stroking four boundaries during his 11 ball 19.

But thereafter the Basnahira South team lost their way collapsing to 63 for 5 by the half way stage. Chamara Silva of course repaired the damage with a fighting knock of 43 from 35 deliveries that included six boundaries.

All rounder Malinga Bandara then added the finishing touches with a 23 ball 31 not out while collecting ten runs from the last two deliveries.

Basnahira South: 137 for 9 in 20 overs (T. M. Dilshan 19, M. Siriwardena 13, C. Silva 43, M. Bandara 31 n.o., C. Jayasinghe 2 for 26, T. Thushara 2 for 33).

Kandurata: 123 for 8 in 20 overs (K. Gunawardena 17, T. Paranavithana 27, K. Sangakkara 24, C. Kapugedera 27, C. Perera 4 for 19).

On Bowl out system

Meanwhile Wayamba Province set up a final showdown with Basnahira South edging out Ruhuna Province 3-2 in the Bowl out system after the second semifinal match was halted due to bad weather at the SSC grounds in Maitland Place, yesterday.

Ruhuna Province batting first after winning the toss struggled to reach 88 for 7 when the match was suspended in the 15th over. They got off to a flying start with skipper Sanath Jayasuriya making an explosive 26 from 18 deliveries inclusive of three sixes.

But after Jayasuriya's departure in the seventh over, Wayamba Province came back into the game by capturing a couple of quick wickets through paceman Isuru Udana and Kaushalya Lokuarachchi.

Ruhuna: 88 for 7 in 15 overs (S. Jayasuriya 26, I. De Saram 22, I. Udana 2 for 17, K. Lokuarachchi 2 for 16).