Colombo: Medium pacer Yodhin Punja bowled brilliantly but the batsmen let him down as Abu Dhabi’s MCC-Zayed Cricket Academy (ZCA) Under-16 team lost their third game on their maiden tour of Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Yodhin and the two spinners Aakarsh Krishnakumar and Abhishek Prakash did well to restrict the Sanath Jayasuriya Cricket Academy, but the MCC-Zayed Cricket Academy Under-16 batsmen collapsed to a 109-run defeat at the Moors Sports Club ground in Colombo.

Playing on the first-class ground of the Moors Sports Club, MCC-ZCA captain Mohammad Riyan put the opposition in to bat and Sanath Jayasuriya Cricket Academy made 169 for the loss of nine wickets in a match reduced to 35 overs a side.

Punja bowled a fantastic five-over spell, maintaining perfect line and length, to take two wickets to give MCC-ZCA a good start. But at the other end, left-arm pacer Umar Zia was a bit wayward, bowling six wides.

Leg-spinner Aakarsh Krishnakumar bowled tightly, meanwhile, and he snapped up two wickets, as did off-spinner Abhishek Prakash.

The MCC-ZCA fielding was exceptional, with captain Mohammad Riyan effecting a run-out from extra cover and taking a difficult, low-handed catch at mid-wicket off Aakarsh later on.

Yodhin also effected a run-out and took a good catch.

Geet Perera top-scored with 26 from 45 balls with two boundaries, while Sven Miller made 23 from 37 balls with four boundaries.

Pashan Tikku made 22 from 27 balls with two boundaries, while Kamesh Hansaka scored 20 from 34 balls with two boundaries.

Again, the extras were on the higher side with the MCC-ZCA bowlers conceding 34.

In reply, MCC-ZCA started well with opener Justin D’Souza and Sachin Jha taking them to 20 for no loss in five overs.

But once Jha was dismissed, the rest of the batting collapsed in a heap.

Jha was caught at point off medium-pacer Kasun.

The Sanath Jayasuriya Cricket Academy employed all their spinners and the batsmen failed to read them. MCC-ZCA were shot out for a paltry 62 in 23.1 overs.

Justin D’Souza and Pavan Vijaykumar were the only batsmen to get into double figures.

Geet Perera snapped up three for eight in his four overs, while Kushan Malin took two for 11 in his five overs and Buddin Perera picked two for two in his four overs.

MCC-ZCA next play against Lyceum International School at the school grounds in Wattala, Colombo. Their third game of the tour was called off after 20 overs because of rain and unplayable conditions.

Batting first against Kingswood College at the school grounds in the hill-station town of Kandy, MCC-ZCA were 44 for four in 20.3 overs when the game was called off.