Dambulla Aura outplay defending champs Jaffna Kings

Player of the Match Avishka Fernando on the rampage for Dambulla Aura

 Charith Asalanka who top scored for Jaffna Kings with 56 plays a shot on the leg side

Lanka Premier League Season 4

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Dambulla Aura, unfortunate to be on the losing side in a Super Over game against Galle Titans on Monday came up with a dominant performance to beat defending champions Jaffna Kings by eight wickets in a Lanka Premier League match played at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Needless to say Jaffna were outplayed totally by Dambulla in all departments on a slow pitch where the losers struggled to find the boundaries and the winners did so with such ease that one was left wondering whether they were batting on two different pitches.

Jaffna were kept down to a moderate total of 129-7 equalling their lowest ever in the history of LPL, and Dambulla in reply had no qualms in reaching that total to win with 22 balls to spare.   

On a tough slow pitch where the ball hardly came onto the bat Charith Asalanka’s knock of 56 off 52 balls (5 fours, 1 six) stood out like a beacon for Jaffna who opted to bat first after winning the toss. He was the only batsman to come to terms with the surface that offered plenty of turn for the spinners. Dambulla, having assessed the conditions well, kept the Jaffna batsmen on a leash bowling with a lot of discipline.

When it came for their turn to bat Dambulla treated the run chase with disdain with openers Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis posting 76 in next to no time off 49 balls. Dambulla scored the most runs in the first power play of this tournament – 62. Fernando was in brilliant form driving and pulling with authority to race to 52 off 32 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes) before he was castled by Jaffna’s exciting leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth who once again bowled impressively conceding 24 runs in his four overs.

Dunith Wellalage, the left-arm spinner accounted for Mendis’ wicket for 29, but there was no denying Dambulla the win as Kusal Perera stamped his authority in next to no time clobbering the bowling to all parts of the field and ending the match in style with a reverse sweep for six. He finished unbeaten on 34 off 22 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes) while his partner Sadeera Samarawickrama played a passive role with 12* off 22 balls. Fernando was the Player of the Match.   

Scores: 

nJaffna Kings: 129-7 (20) (Charith Asalanka 56, Towhid Hridoy 24, Binura Fernando 2/27)

nDambulla Aura: 132-2 (16.2) (Avishka Fernando 52, Kusal Mendis 29, Kusal Perera 34*)