Colombo turns tables on Kandy to snatch lead

National Super League 4-day tournament

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Colombo went to the top of the National Super League four-day tournament standings when they registered their second successive win beating Kandy by six wickets at the R. Premadasa Stadium 

yesterday.

The top of the table clash saw Colombo despite conceding a first innings lead of 23 runs to Kandy fight back to turntables to snatch the lead from their up-country rivals. Half-centuries from Colombo’s first three top order batsmen Nipun Dananjaya, Krishan Sanjula and Nuwanidu Fernando saw them chase down the victory target of 259 quite comfortably.

A win for Colombo was inevitable after their openers Dananjaya and Sanjula had posted 122. Following Sanjula’s dismissal for 55 off 110 balls (6 fours), Dananjaya and Fernando carried the total to 198 before Dananjaya lost his wicket four short of what would have been his second first-class century when he was castled by Sachindu Colombage’s leg-break. Dananjaya hit eight fours in his patient knock of 96 which came off 176 balls.  

With plenty of overs in hand Colombo took their time in reaching their target with Fernando working his way to 60 off 105 balls (5 fours, 1 six) when he fell with 28 required. Colombo lost their captain Sammu Ashan for 25 before overhauling the required total.

Dambulla continued to remain at the bottom of the table despite running up a challenging total of 418 at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium where their game against Galle ended in a draw. Galle came up with a powerful reply to post a massive 513 courtesy centuries from Hashan Dumindu (167) and skipper Dhananjaya Lakshan (119) who figured in a double century stand of 205. In their second innings Dambulla declared at 300-7 leaving Galle a target of 206. They finished on 80-2.   

Results

At R. Premadasa Stadium: Colombo beat Kandy by six wickets

• Kandy 241 and 235
• Colombo 218 and 260-4 (o/n 114-0) (Nipun Dananjaya 96, Krishan Sanjula 55, Nuwanidu Fernando 60, Sammu Ashan 25, Ashian Daniel 2/77, Sachindu Colombage 2/52)

At Dambulla: Match drawn (Galle takes first inns points)

• Dambulla 418 and 300-7 decl. (Leo Fransisco 27, Pawantha Weerasinghe 76, Ashan Priyanjan 37, Minod Bhanuka 49, Chamindu Wijesinghe 40*, Lahiru Samarakoon 26*, Nimesh Vimukthi 2/74, Akila Dananjaya 2/66, Chanaka Ruwansiri 2/49)
• Galle 513 (o/n 499-7) (Sangeeth Cooray 32, Pabasara Waduge 34, Hashan Dumindu 167, Dhananjaya Lakshan 119, Vishad Randika 51, Suminda Lakshan 46, Lahiru Samarakoon 4/52, Ashan Priyanjan 3/84) and 80-2 (Sangeeth Cooray 47*)