Amil Shamit, in Daily Mirror, 12 October 2015, … http://sports.dailymirror.lk/2015/10/12/ananda-retain-murali-harmony-cup/
Defending champions Ananda College underwent some anxious moments and had to dig deep to overcome Richmond College by 24 runs in the final of the 4th Murali Harmony Cup at the IODR Oval in Oddusuddan yesterday to retain the title for yet another year.
Richmond the runners-up last year had to play second fiddle again and they will have to blame themselves as they faltered after being in a winning position and were left ruing a spectacular late collapse having appeared to be on course for victory mid-way through their run chase. Ananda the only unbeaten side in the tournament struggled with the bat after winning the toss and electing to take first lease of the wicket and managed to post a modest 137 runs.
They started positively with a 31-run opening stand but then lost three quick wickets, slumping to 32 for 3 and then 50 for 4. Throughout the tournament their middle order, led by the outstanding Kaveeshka Anjula (28), had rescued Ananda but this time they could not fully repair the top order damage. Richmond also started unconvincingly, slipping to 32 for 3, before Kalindu Siriwardana steadied the innings with 36 from 35 balls. With Richmond sitting pretty on 84 for 3 in the 12th over the game looked lost for Ananda but then Krishan Anjula’s dismissal of Siriwardana sparked a collapse.
Seven wickets tumbled for just 29 runs and Ananda were left jubilant for the second consecutive year. Dinuka Jayaratne was outstanding with the ball for Ananda, taking 3 for 10 from his four overs to follow a useful 26 off 22 balls earlier in the afternoon which earned him the player of the final award.
Ananda 137 for 8 in 20 overs (Krishan Anjula 28, Dinuka Jayaratne 26, Rahal Avishka 20, Lahiru Attanayake 19: Avindu Theekshana 2 for 25, K.K. Kaveen 2 for 27)
Richmond 113 in 18.5 overs (Kalindu Siriwardena 36, Kamindu Mendis 21, Dhananjaya Lakshan 20, Pasindu Bimsara 15: Dinuka Jayaratne 3 for 20, Supun Waragoda 2 for 20, Krishan Anjula 2 for 32, Achila Iranga 2 for 34)