CARMAN Mapatuna led the way with both bat and ball, lifting Napoleons-Sebastopol back into the Ballarat Cricket Association club firsts’ top four on Saturday.
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The Sri Lankan import continued his strong season with 99 and 3-9 as Naps-Sebas crushed Golden Point in a one-day clash at Eastern Oval.
Batting at number four, Mapatuna’s whirlwind knock came from just 76 balls and included 11 fours and three sixes to help the visitors post a powerful 9-219 from 45 overs.
Opener Ben Trew (28) and first drop Simon Ringin (30) also provided assistance in establishing a total that required the Pointies to score at almost five runs an over to win.
Matt Ringin, playing his first game of the BCA season, returned in style, putting the hosts on the back foot early with 3-15. That was before Mapatuna, Luke Corden (2-18) and Liam Rigby (1-19) helped roll the Pointies in under 30 overs for just 95.
The 1997-98 EJ Cleary Medal winner is putting his hand up for another champion player award. Mapatuna has now scored 260 runs in club firsts this season, at an average of 43.3, and taken 12 wickets at 9.9.
Naps-Sebas’ win helps it climb two places to third on the ladder behind unbeaten ladder-leaders Mt Clear and Brown Hill, which sent Wendouree tumbling from the four with Saturday’s three-wicket win at Western Oval.
Golden Point’s defeat has seen it slip from seventh to eighth on the table ahead of one-day fixtures against North Ballarat and Darley.
