Bad light, rain curtail Dambulla-Jaffna key game

Colombo’s spinner Prabath Jayasuriya gets through the defences of Galle’s Suminda Lakshan on his way to a six-wicket haul

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Bad light and rain curtailed play on the opening day of the all-important National Super League 4-day

Galle opener Sangeeth Cooray celebrates his half-century

fixture between Dambulla and Jaffna being played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium yesterday. Only 50 overs were possible during which period Dambulla, invited to bat first by Jaffna, had scored 159 for two wickets.

The match is crucial to both teams who are vying for the fourth and last semi-final spot. Dambulla didn’t get off to the best of starts losing their first wicket at 23 and the second at 64 before Lasith Abeyratne and skipper Minod Bhanuka came together in an unfinished third wicket partnership worth 95 so far. Abeyratne was unbeaten on 60 scored off 114 balls (5 fours) and Bhanuka on 52* off 98 balls (5 fours).

The two Dambulla wickets to fall so far was taken by Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep who ended the day with figures of two for 38.

In a spin dominated first day at the Galle International Cricket Stadium where 14 of the 16 wickets to fall for the day were claimed by the spinners, Galle held the whip hand capturing six Colombo wickets for 110 after making 267 batting first.

Half-centuries from Sangeeth Cooray and Priyamal Perera saw Galle reach their total despite the threat posed by left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya who despite being on the slightly expensive side ended up taking six wickets for 111 off 26 overs. An opening partnership of 82 between Cooray (51) and Pabasara Waduge (42) was the feature of the Galle batting which was propped up in the middle by Perera’s half century. The innings was given a late boost by number nine Kavishka Anjula who slammed a quickfire 33 off 40 balls (4 fours, 1 six) before getting run out.

Colombo’s batting was in shambles being reduced to 53-4 by spinners Akila Dananjaya and Chanaka Ruwansiri who captured the first four wickets. A brief stand of 55 between Promod Maduwantha (17) and Ashen Bandara (35) lifted them to 108-4 before Dananjaya and Suminda Lakshan, the third spinner in the side took a wicket each as two wickets fell for four balls to have Colombo struggling towards the end of the day.

The matches saw the return of national cricketers to the tournament following the Test series in India - Dinesh Chandimal for Galle, Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis for Colombo, Vishwa Fernando for Dambulla, Dhananjaya de Silva and Jeffrey Vandersay for Jaffna.

Both matches will be continued on the second day today.

DAY ONE SCORES:

At Dambulla: Dambulla 159-2 at close (Leo Fransisco 24, Lasith Abeyratne 60*, Minod Bhanuka 52*, Nuwan Pradeep 2/38) v Jaffna

At Galle: Galle 267 (Sangeeth Cooray 51, Pabasara Waduge 42, Dhananjaya Lakshan 24, Priyamal Perera 51, Kavishka Anjula 33, Prabath Jayasuriya 6/111, Ashen Bandara 2/4)

Colombo 110-6 at close (Nipun Dananjaya 25, Ashen Bandara 35, Chanaka Ruwansiri 2/40, Akila Dananjaya 3/28)