Spin pridigy Akila Dananjaya ripped through Colombo for a 7 wicket haul to give Dambulla a resounding 8-wicket win as Colombo flopped for a second innings 232 with Dambulla reaching the 133 target in a whirl in the SLC Super League tournament at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Openers Lasith Croospulle 47 off 3 with 7 boundaries and 2 sixes and Ron Chandraguptha 45 off 50 posting 71 in 9 overs set the pace followed by the Chandraguptha-Nishan Madushka 36 stand in 9.1 overs when the former fell on the stroke of 107 that saw skipper Dhananjaya de Silva joining Madushka to taking Dambulla across the line on the fourth and final day of the Sri Lanka Cricket National Super League Tournament match yesterday at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. Madushka was on 33 off 46 hitting 4 boundaries with De Silva on 5 off 15 in that victory thrust.
Whatever hopes of Colombo saving the day faded when their only hope overnight batsman Kusal Mendis fell for 92 adding just six runs to his overnight 86 spooning a return catch to Akila Dananjaya as Dambulla’s last thre wickets crashed for the addition of 11 runs on resumption.
Meanwhile, the Jaffna versus Kandy game wandered to a high scoring draw in the second innings exchanges with Jaffna atoning for their first innings dismal 201 by amassing 491 for 9 declared in the second innings with Kandy chasing 361 for victory, scoring 197 for 4 wickets on the fourth and final day of their tournament match at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
The day belonged very much to Jaffna’s opening batsman Ravindu Rasantha who converted his overnight score of 135 to a dream unbeaten 206 off 351 balls hitting 26 boundaries in the wake of his first innings 97, when the declaration was enforced.
Kandy ‘s run chase was highlighted by opening batsman Pathum Nissanka’s back to form 51 off 55 filled with 8 boundaries, and skipper Sahan Arachchige’s unbeaten 52 off 113 with 4 boundaries that followed the unfinished 104-run fourth wicket bonding with Sohan de Livera batting his way to 52 off 118 backed with 4 to the ropes following the dismissal of Nuwanidu Fernando for 19.
CHIEF SCORES:
Dambulla beat Colombo by 8 wickets
Colombo 300
(Kusal Mendis 119, Charith Asalanka 43, Lahiru Madushanka 43, Asitha Wanninayake 38,Dulaj Samuditha 3/70, Akila Dananjaya 3/91, Mohamed Shiraz 2/48, Duvindu Tillakaratne 1/32)
And 232 (64.5 Overs)
(Kusal Mendis 92, Kavin Bandara 44, Dhananjaya Lakshan 25, Asitha Wanninayake 20, Akila Dananjaya 7/104, Mohamed Shiraz 3/42)
Dambulla 400
(Pavan Rathnayake 163, Dhananjaya de Silva 142, Akila Dananjaya 20, Sonal Dinusha 19, Lasith Croospulle 11, Pramod Madushan 4/103, Kasun Rajitha 2/97, Dhananjaya Lakshan 4/9)
And 133/2 (23.3 Overs)
(Lasith Croospulle 47, Ron Chandraguptha 45, Nishan Madushka n.o. 33, Dhananjaya de Silva n.o. 5, Dhananjaya Lakshan 1/27, Asitha Wanninayake 1/28)g
Jaffna vs Kandy match drawn
Jaffna 201
(Ravindu Rasantha 97)
And 491/9 decl. (113.4 Overs)
(Ravindu Rasantha n.o. 206, Niroshan Dickwella 113, Angelo Mathews 51, Tharindu Rathnayake 24, Shevon Daniel 23, Anjala Bandara 16, Janith Liyanage 14, Kavishka Anjula 12, Shiran Fernando 3/98, Lahiru Kumara 2/45, Nuwanidu Fernando 1/47, Chamindu Wickramasinghe 1/49, Sahan Nanayakkara 1/122)
Kandy 332
(Janishka Perera 97)
And 197/4 (58.1 Overs)
(Sahan Arachchige n.o. 52, Sohan de Livera n.o. 52, Pathum Nissanka 51, Nuwanidu Fernando 19, Janishka Perera 13, Kavishka Anjula 1/15, Asanka Manoj 1/25, Jeffrey Vandersay 1/57, Tharindu Rathnayake 1/77)
