Chamindu the star for Dambulla Sixers

Chamindu Wickramasinghe the star of Dambulla Sixers win with 56* off 34 balls and 2 wickets 

Isuru Udana almost single-handedly tried to win the match for Galle Marvels with 72 off 38 balls

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Former St. Anthony’s College, Kandy and Sri Lanka Under-19 cricketer, 21-year-old Chamindu Wickramasinghe was the star for Dambulla Sixers in their 25-run win over table leaders Galle Marvels with a brilliant all-round performance in the second double-header of the Lanka Premier League played at the Rangiri Dambulla Cricket Stadium yesterday.

When his team was in trouble at 122-8 he smacked an unbeaten 56 off 34 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes) including 24 runs of the final over to drag Dambulla to a competitive total of 160-8. And when Isuru Udana who smoked 72 off 38 balls (5 fours, 5 sixes) threatened to swing the match Galle’s way, Wickramasinghe given the task of bowling the final over (his first of the game) with 27 to defend, fittingly closed the game by picking up the two remaining wickets including the crucial wicket of Udana to win the match for his team. Rightly, he was named Player of the Match. 

Led by some excellent bowling by Nuwan Thushara and Dilshan Madushanka as well as the spinners, Dambulla tore through Galle’s batting line-up and had the game well under their control until the arrival of Udana who with Maheesh Theekshana in support put on a record 72 for the ninth wicket – a new T20s record breaking the 19 by Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara. At 62-8, Galle seemed dead and buried but Dambulla managed to overcome the Udana scare and secure their second win of the tournament to move up to fourth position.

Before Wickramasinghe, it was all Galle as they throttled the Dambulla batting with their skilful lengths. Leg-spinner Kavindu Nadeeshan was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/16, but they all did their part.

On the same pitch that had seen 454 runs scored in the first double-header, Galle and Dambulla both struggled for runs. The pitch was nowhere close to a belter we saw in the first match with slower balls not coming onto the bat, but gripping and with some help for the spinners. Even Wickramasinghe could not hit them cleanly at the start of his innings, until he found his range in the last couple of overs.

TODAY’S MATCHES: Colombo Strikers v Jaffna Kings (3 p.m.); Galle Marvels v Kandy Falcons (7.30 p.m.) 

Scores: 

Dambulla Sixers 160-8 (20) (Lahiru Udara 26, Chamindu Wickramasinghe 56*, Isuru Udana 2/16, Kavindu Nadeeshan 3/16)

Galle Marvels 135 (19.4) (Isuru Udana 72, Nuwan Thushara 3/37, Dushan Hemantha 3/33, Chamindu Wickramasinghe 2/1)