Cricket: SCA National Championship Final (Division Two) |25 November 2023

Champions (DIV 2) -Lakstars A

Lakstars A clinches SCA national championship with convincing win over BD Tigers

In a stunning display of cricketing prowess, Lakstars A clinched victory over BD Tigers in the final of the 2023 Seychelles Cricket Association (SCA) National Championship.

The gripping encounter unfolded at Ile Perseverance Grounds on Sunday, culminating in Lakstars A's triumphant return to glory with a six-wicket win.

The Lakstars' triumph in the final marked a significant milestone, securing their second T20 championship title in a single year, and solidifying their standing as the champions of Seychelles cricket.

BD Tigers' batting Innings

Winning the toss, BD Tigers opted to bat first, facing the disciplined bowling attack of Lakstars A. The Tigers encountered early setbacks, losing the first wicket in the opening over with the score at zero. Despite initial partnership in progress, Lakstars A bowlers struck again, claiming the second wicket at 19 runs in 4.3 overs.

A series of batting collapses followed after the fall of second wicket, with BD Tigers finding themselves at 43 runs for 7 wickets by the 11.3-over mark.

A crucial partnership of 31 runs for the 8th wicket provided a glimmer of hope, but the Tigers ultimately managed to post a total of 91 runs for 10 wickets at the end of 20 overs.

Habib emerged as the top scorer for BD Tigers with a vital 26 runs off 28 balls.

Skipper Apu scored 14 runs off 17 balls and Narandra scored 11 runs off 22 balls.

Lakstars A bowlers, showcased brilliant and disciplined bowling, particularly, JanathJinendra who bowled brilliantly picking up 3 wickets for just 14 runs in his 4 overs, while Samith Lakpriya also executed a brilliant spell picking up the two wickets of BD tigers openers, for 17 runs in his 4 overs.

Nimal Gunasekara also picked up 2 wickets for 24 runs. Additionally, Shanmugam Tharmenthiran and Lithira Hathurusinghe each grabbed 1 wicket, further solidifying Lakstars A's formidable bowling attack.

Lakstars A's Resilient Chase

In pursuit of the 92-run target, Lakstars A's openers faced disciplined bowling from BD Tigers, resulting in a slow start and the first wicket at 13 runs by the end of the fifth over. After the first wicket they managed built a partnership of 30 for the second wicket. However, wickets at 55 and 65 runs posed challenges. Yet, the team regained momentum, successfully chasing the target in 18.3 overs. Janath Jinendra's brilliant four in the second ball of the 19th over tied the target, and he secured the winning run with a single on the third ball of the over.

Nilan Fonseka shone as the top scorer for Lakstars, contributing a brilliant 31 runs as the opening batsman. Moreover, Pethum Shyaminda'svital knock of 23 runs and Janath Jinendra's unbeaten 15 runs, and their partnership played crucial roles in building the winning momentum.

For BD tigers, Kamal picked up 2 wickets for 17 runs in his 4 overs. Skipper Apu and Habib also picked up 1 wicket each.

Janath Jinendra's outstanding all-around performance in the tournament final, with both bat and ball, earned him the well-deserved title of the Player of the Match.

Apu of BD Tigers was recognized as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament for his consistent brilliance in batting, bowling, and fielding throughout the championship.

The 2023 SCA National Cricket Championship showcased the resilience and skill of both teams, providing cricket enthusiasts with a memorable conclusion to a fiercely contested tournament.

SCA national Championship (DIV 2) is one of the most important tournament organised yearly by the SCA, kicked off in August, where 9 cricket clubs fighting for reputed title of National champions.

Best Performances in the finals:

Batters  

Nilan (Lakstars A) - 31 off 35            

Habib (BD TIGERS) - 26 off28          

Pethum Shyamind (Lakstars A) - 23 off 27    

Bowlers

JanathJinendra (Lakstars A) - 3 Wkts for 14 runs, 4 overs

Samith Lakpriya Hettiarachchi (Lakstars A) – 2 Wkts for 17 runs, 4 overs

Kamal (BD TIGERS) - 2 Wkts for 17 runs, 4 overs

Player of the Match: JanathJinendra (Lakstars A)

Tournament Leader Board - SCA National Championship 2023 (Div 2):

Samith Lakpriya