Weather holds the key when John Keells meet HNB in the final of the 29th Singer-MCA Super Premier League 2022, at the MCA Ground today.
The first part of the tournament the League was completed on May 17 and unbeaten Citizens Development Business Finance emerged as the winner of the league title.
The knock-out segment, the trailer to the league got underway on May 19 with the two qualifying matches followed by the semi finals on May 21.
John Keells was placed third in the league points table, with three wins and two losses, accumulating a total of 13 points and a run rate of plus 0.407.
In the knock-out they took on League sixth placed Sampath Bank whom they beat by three wickets and in the semi final they met League number two Mode Engineering and won by seven wickets.
Taking the spot light for John Keells will be Duvindu Tillakaratne (5 for 15 versus Sampath Bank and 3 for 28 versus Mode Engineering) and Ahan Wickramasinghe (102 not out versus Mode Engineering).
John Keells have not been able to win the title yet, though they have reached the final on three occasions.
In 2002 they lost to HNB at NCC, in 2014 they lost to MAS Unichela at SSC and in 2015 they lost to MAS Active Trading at MCA.
HNB was placed fifth in the League points table with one win and three losses gaining six points to have a minus run rate of 0.938.
In the knock-out, they met league’s fourth placed Hayleys in the first qualifier, whom they beat by five wickets and in the semi final they met the league winner CDB for a convincing two wicket win.
Hogging the limelight for HNB will be veteran Chamara Silva making a comeback with 65 not out versus Hayleys and 36 not out versus CDB Finance and Madhawa Warnapura (2 for 36 versus Hayleys and 3 for 34 and 41 runs versus CDB Finance).
It is a good come back for HNB as they last figured in a final in 2013.
HNB have won it five times in the past. In 2001 they beat Seylan Bank at NCC, 2002 beat John Keells at NCC, 2003 beat Seylan Bank at NCC, 2005 beat East West Marketing at SSC and 2006 joint winners with Sampath Bank. In 2013 they were runners-up to MAS Active at Colts ground.
When the two teams met in the League on May 8 at the CCC Ground, John Keells won by 32 runs.
Teams: HNB (from): Madawa Warnapura (Capt), Chamara Silva, Dilshan Munaweera, Gayan Sirisoma, Damitha Hunukumbura, Nimesh Perera, Deshan Dias, Dellon Peiris, Chamindu Wijesinghe, Ranmith Jayasena, Kasun Abeyratne, Ishak Sahabdeen, Raveen de Silva, Kemira Wijenayake, Mahasen Ranasinghe, Pasindu Ushettige, Madushan Pathirage and Wimukthi Perera
John Keells (from): Ishan Jayaratne (Capt), Sheran Fonseka , Imeshka Morais, Sachitha Jayathilake, Kavin Bandara, Navod Paranavithana, Malindu Shehan, Shashika Dulshan, Supun Kavinda, Malinga, Amarasinghe, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Dilshad Mohamed, Akila Dhananjaya, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Mohamed Shiraz and Duvindu Tillakaratne (BP)