By Srian Obeyesekere
Colombo were on a pleasing 154 for 4 wickets sword edged by a bold knock of 84 by Dhananjaya Lakshan to clearing a highly challenging 299 victory target having had pulled off all the spades to dominating the penultimate third day of the Sri Lanka Cricket Super League 4-day Tournament final in bowling out Dambulla for a second innings 222 as identical as their first innings total at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Indeed, against such a backdrop, Lakshan scripted a truly innings worthy of a final in making the bat talk of dominating bowlers heightened by 12 boundaries in a herculean 105-ball swatting of a threatening Dambulla attack that had speared Colombo for 143 in their first innings in a game by far dominated by bowlers throughout as wickets crashed on both sides that saw Dambulla cut down to 222 in their second essay.
His knock largely shifted the tide Colombo’s way from Dambulla’s iron grip having conceded a 69 first innings lead when the opposing bowling attack dictated terms led by the 5-wicket Kavindu Pathiratne and 3-wicket Akila Dananjaya.
Of course, coming to the show for Colombo with an unbeaten 29 in stringing an invaluable 63 match turning fourth wicket bonding was skipper Charith Asalanka as he had in the first innings a face saving half century plus redeeming partnership together with Sharujan Shanmuganathan who was their mainstay then when wickets tumbled left and right in a 5 for 28 chaos.
Yesterday, Colombo felt the early pangs of the frontline 4-wicket thud created by a game Chamod Battage who arrived with his fast right arm medium pace to send back all four.
That the sole second day defiance of a 43 up upfront opener Nishan Madushka in that mess lost its way by his dismissal for the same score on the penultimate day stand off was a huge blow to Dambulla’a hopes of wresting back the initiative with only Akila Dananjaya stepping in from his bowling forte to bravely rising to the occasion for his side by a highly praiseworthy unbeaten knock of 53 with Anjala Bandara an equally marvelling 32, weighty stuff to setting Colombo a daunting which Dambulla owed much to a heady 79 first innings leverage over their opponents for Dananjaya and his co-bowlers to have a crack at Colombo.
Chief Scores
Dambulla 222 for 9 wickets declared and 222
(Akila Dananjaya n.o. 53, Nishan Madushka 43 , Anjala Bandara 32, Vishad Randika 21, Kavindu Pathiratne 17, Lasith Croospulle 14 , Sonal Dinusha 12, Chamod Battage 4/55, Pramod Madushan 2/48)
Colombo 143 all out (Prabath Jayasuiya 19, Sharujan Sharnmuganathan 44, Charith Asalanka 27, Kavija Gamage 25, Dushan Hemantha 14 , Kavindu Pathiratne 5/51 , Akila Dhananjaya 3/17)
And 154/4 (Dhananjaya Lakshan 84, Charith Asalanka n.o. 29, Nuwanidu Fernando 24)
(Courtesy Sri Lanka Cricket)