Dambulla to defend title against Kandy in final

Dhananjaya Lakshan and Shehan Fernando batting during their 114-run stand for Galle

Pavan Ratnayake pulls for runs during his match winning innings of 56* for Dambulla

Nipun Karunanayake who top scored for Jaffna with 83 drives off back foot

Colombo’s Prabath Jayasuriya appeals on his way to a five-wicket haul

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Defending champions Dambulla fought their way out from a seemingly difficult position of 64-5 to beat Jaffna by two wickets and qualify for the National Super League 50-over final in their match played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, Hambantota yesterday.

The win propelled Dambulla to the top of the table with six points. Kandy who had completed all their matches finished second on four points on a better net run rate and will join Dambulla in the final on 9 March at the R. Premadasa Stadium in a day-night game.

Jaffna and Galle also finished jointly on four points with Kandy but were ousted by Kandy’s enhanced net run rate.

Pavan Ratnayake who was forced to retire hurt with his score at 3 after being struck twice in one over (helmet and hand) by Eshan Malinga with the score on 59/4 (10), returned at the fall of Dushan Hemantha’s wicket at 145-6 to steer Dambulla to victory with a plucky knock of 56* off 57 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes). Sonal Dinusha (44) and Hemantha (38) also contributed to Dambulla’s recovery following their early loss of wickets.   Nipun Karunanayake top scored with a delightful innings of 83 off 104 balls (9 fours, 1 six) in Jaffna’s total of 218-8 which featured three run outs.  

Galle beat Colombo by 14 runs in the other match played at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Although Galle finished tied on four points with Jaffna, their poor net run rate pushed them out of the equation for a place in the final.

In a low scoring game, Galle suffered a major batting collapse losing their last seven wickets for 20 runs to be all out for 188. They were riding high at 168-3 on the back of a 114-run partnership between Shehan Fernando (71 off 95 balls, 11 fours) and Dhananjaya Lakshan (60 of 61 balls, 4 fours, 1 six). But once the stand was broken the rest of the Galle batting collapsed like a pack of cards to the spin of Prabath Jayasuriya (5/18) and Tharindu Ratnayake (3/52).

Colombo’s innings lacked momentum as they were dismissed for 174. At one time they were promisingly placed at 105-3 at the end of the first power play, but lost their way with no meaningful contribution coming from the rest of the batting as Galle built the pressure through their seam cum spin attack.   

RESULTS:

+At Hambantota: Dambulla beat Jaffna by two wickets

Jaffna 218-8 (50) (Nishan Madushka 28, Nipun Karunanayake 83, Santhush Gunathilaka 28, Ravindu Fernando 22, Mohamed Shiraz 2/21, Dushan Hemantha 2/41)

Dambulla 219-8 (47.1) (Lasith Croospulle 30, Pavan Ratnayake 56*, Sonal Dinusha 44, Dushan Hemantha 38, Eshan Malinga 2/51, Dilum Sudeera 2/33)   

+At R. Premadasa Stadium: Galle beat Colombo by 14 runs.

Galle 188 (38.3) (Shehan Fernando 71, Dhananjaya Lakshan 60, Tharindu Ratnayake 3/52, Prabath Jayasuriya 5/18)

Colombo 174 (18.4) (Shevon Daniel 32, Nuwanidu Fernando 34, Nisala Tharaka 32*, Dunith Wellalage 3/40, Nimesh Vimukthi 2/33, Kavisha Anjula 3/44)