Lahiru Madushanka (left) and Charith Asalanka during their 122-run stand for SLC Greys

Shanaka’s Greys get the better of the Blues to remain unbeaten

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Avishka Fernando of SLC Reds hits one of his six sixes during his unbeaten innings of 82

Avishka Fernando, the Sri Lankan white ball opener, hit a dazzling unbeaten 82 off 53 balls studded with six sixes and four fours as SLC Reds made a late entry to the party with a convincing ten-wicket victory over SLC Greens – their first win in the Dialog SLC Invitational League – at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

In the second double header of the day SLC Greys beat SLC Blues by 16 runs to record their third consecutive win in as many matches. Both teams came to this game unbeaten.  

The Reds, whose batting had failed to click in the first two matches, got their fundamentals right in this game as they chased down the Greens’ total of 143-7 to win in 17.3 overs. An opening stand of 133 off 94 balls between Fernando and his captain Dinesh Chandimal saw the Reds on the road to victory. Fernando with his aggressive style of play dominated the partnership racing to his half-century off 33 balls, with 4 sixes and 2 fours. The pair looked to take the Reds home quite comfortably but with 11 needed, Chandimal took a painful blow on the groin as he attempted to pull a ball from Nuwan Thushara and was forced to retire hurt with a 48-ball 51. His replacement Asela Gunaratne and Fernando ensured there would be no further mishap to the innings.   

The Greens who won the toss and chose to bat first were kept down to a total of 143-7 by some heady bowling from Chamika Karunaratne who marked his first appearance in the tournament with figures of 3 for 26. Karunaratne’s varied bowling, coupled with the leg-spin of seasoned player Seekkuge Prasanna (2/20), restricted the Greens to a total which the Reds managed to chase down quite easily.

In-form batter Kamindu Mendis was the Greens’ top scorer completing his third consecutive half-century of the tournament with an authentic knock of 66 off 43 balls (2 sixes, 4 fours). On this occasion he had Sammu Ashan (29) as his partner in a 75-run stand off 45 balls for the fifth wicket that saw the Greens lift themselves from a despairing 52 for 4 to a decent 143.

Brilliant bowling by Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep (2/22), left-arm spinner Chaturanga de Silva (1/28) and skipper Dasun Shanaka (2/24) saw the Greys defend their total of 167 by restricting the Blues to 151-7. Despite a fluent half-century from Sadeera Samarawickrama (58 off 42 balls, 3 sixes, 4 fours) the Blues were never in the hunt as they failed to put together a good partnership.

Earlier, Lahiru Madushanka hit a scintillating 74 not out off 39 balls, inclusive of 5 sixes and 5 fours, which also included 26 runs (2 sixes, 3 fours) off the final over of the innings bowled by Sri Lanka’s experienced fast bowler Suranga Lakmal, that saw the Greys total shoot up from 45-4 to 167-4. Madushanka was assisted by vice-captain Charith Asalanka, who in his first appearance in the tournament, contributed an unbeaten 54 off 47 balls (2 sixes, 2 fours) in an unbroken stand of 122 off 73 balls.

RESULTS:

SLC Reds beat SLC Greens by 10 wickets

SLC Greens 143-7 (20) (Kamindu Mendis 66, Sammu Ashan 29, Chamika Karunaratne 3/26, Seekkuge Prasanna 2/20)

SLC Reds 144-0 (17.3) (Avishka Fernando 82*, Dinesh Chandimal 51*)

SLC Greys beat SLC Blues by 16 runs

SLC Greys 167-4 (20) (Charith Asalanka 54*, Lahiru Madushanka 74*)

SLC Blues 151-7 (20) (Sadeera Samarawickrama 58, Ashen Bandara 29, Dasun Shanaka 2/24)

SLC Reds captain Dinesh Chandimal is given a helping hand after taking a painful blow on the groin

Kusal Perera tests COVID-19 positive