Colombo snatch 87-run win over Jaffna

4th National Super League 4-day Tournament

Monday, 17 March 2025 01:45 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Jaffna’s Ravindu Rasantha is all smiles after completing his century

Sadeera Samarawickrama completed twin fifties for Galle

Drab draw at Hambantota

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Galle Captain Pasindu Sooriyabandara completed a century before the game ended in a draw

Two productive partnerships gave Jaffna hopes of chasing down the imposing target of 454 set by Colombo, but eventually, the task proved beyond them and they succumbed to a 87-run defeat in their National Super League 4-day match concluded at the Galle Cricket Stadium yesterday.

A second wicket stand of 161 between Shevon Daniel (82 off 128 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) and Ravindu Rasantha, the former Thomian and Sri Lanka U19 cricketer who hit an enduring century (107 off 182 balls, 9 fours), raised Jaffna’s hopes as they reached 211-2. Charith Asalanka broke the stand by having Daniel caught, after which left-arm spinner Muditha Lakshan reduced them to 229-5 with the wickets of Ahan Wickramasinghe, Rasantha, and skipper Janith Liyanage – all victims of lbw – before another partnership of 97 runs developed between Anjala Bandara (51 off 88 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) and Chamika Karunaratne (51 off 87 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes), raising fresh hopes as Jaffna reached 326-5. But their dismissals within four runs of each other saw Colombo pick up the remaining three wickets for 14 runs and wrap up the match quite comfortably. Lakshan was the pick of the bowlers with 4/84.

By dismissing Jaffna twice for less than 400 runs in each innings, Colombo picked up two bowling bonus points, while Jaffna received one bowling bonus point for dismissing Colombo below 400 in the first innings.

The second game played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, Hambantota, ended in a tame draw with defending champions Galle opting to bat a second time without enforcing a follow-on, despite dismissing Kandy for 350 in reply to their mammoth first innings of 602-9 declared. Resuming at 13-0, Galle finished their second innings on 269-5, which enabled Captain Pasindu Sooriyabandara to complete his 11th first-class century – 102* off 203 balls (7 fours). Nipun Dananjaya scored 63 (106 balls, 3 fours) to follow his first century, and Sadeera Samarawickrama completed twin fifties with 60 off 123 balls (1 four). Galle took a bonus point for batting and one for bowling.

Results:

At Galle: Colombo beat Jaffna by 87 runs

Colombo 386 and 313-6 decl.

Jaffna 246 and 366 (o/n 73-1) (Shevon Daniel 82, Ravindu Rasantha 107, Ahan Wickramasinghe 22, Anjala Bandara 51, Chamika Karunaratne 51, Nishan Peiris 2/109, Muditha Lakshan 4/84, Charith Asalanka 2/56, Dushan Hemantha 2/46)

At Hambantota: Match drawn (Galle won on 1st innings)

Galle 602-9 decl and 269-5 (o/n 13-0) (Nipun Dananjaya 63, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 102*, Sadeera Samarawickrama 60, Ravindu Fernando 2/87, Sahan Arachchige 2/35)

Kandy 350.

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