First win for Colombo, Dambulla sneak through by one wicket

Lakshan Sandakan and Chamindu Wijesinghe (in background) return after carrying Dambulla to a thrilling one-wicket win

Oshada Fernando and Lahiru Udara made half-centuries for Kandy

National Super League 50-over tournament

Milan Ratnayake of Galle took four Colombo wickets

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Winless Colombo secured their first success of the National Super League 50-over tournament when they defeated Galle by seven wickets at the SSC grounds yesterday.

Fast bowler Milan Ratnayake was once again amongst the wickets when he took four wickets for 37 to contain Colombo to a moderate total of 225. Ratnayake was assisted by seamers Kavishka Anjula and Thilanga Udeshana who shared four wickets between them.

Colombo were badly placed at one time losing half the side for 102 but a 92-run stand between Dushan Vimukthi (46 off 89 balls) and Sachitha Jayathilaka (58 off 74 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) saw them to their final total.

Galle’s innings never took off as former Sri Lanka seamer Nuwan Pradeep struck early blows picking up three wickets as the faltered to 47-4. With no partnership of substance coming from the rest of the batting Galle’s innings folded up for a disappointing 154 despite the return of national player Dinesh Chandimal after the Test series in New Zealand. Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya also made his first appearance in the tournament for Colombo.

Table leaders Dambulla were made to fight tooth and nail by Kandy before pulling off a thrilling one-wicket win with seven balls to spare at the R Premadasa Stadium. Half centuries from national cap Oshada Fernando (76 off 75 balls, 10 fours, 1 six) and Lahiru Udara (52 off 52 balls, 7 fours) enabled Kandy to reach 239 despite the threat posed by national wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan who ended up taking four wickets.

Dambulla never had a proper partnership going until Ashan Priyanjan (24) and Sonal Dinusha (53 off 66 balls, 4 fours) came together for the fifth wicket. Despite the regular fall of wickets Dambulla edged closer to their target and when the ninth wicket fell at 231 in the 47th over the odds were on Kandy winning. But numbers nine and ten Chamindu Wijesinghe (12*) and Sandakan (0*) stuck it out for 13 balls to score the required nine runs and secure a win for their side, much to the disappointment of Kandy. (ST)

RESULTS:

+At SSC: Colombo beat Galle by 71 runs.

Colombo 225 (48) (Sithara Gimhana 44, Dushan Vimukthi 46, Sachitha Jayathilaka 58, Milan Ratnayake 4/37, Kavishka Anjula 2/54, Tilanga Udeshana 2/45)

Galle 154 (39.4) (Pathum Kumara 22, Suminda Lakshan 26, Kavishka Anjula 21, Akila Dananjaya 27, Nuwan Pradeep 3/31, Udith Madushan 2/15, Dushan Vimukthi 3/34)

+At R Premadasa Stadium: Dambulla beat Kandy by one wicket.

Kandy 239 (47.1) (Oshada Fernando 76, Lahiru Udara 52, Ahan Wickramasinghe 23, Asel Sigera 23, Pulina Tharanga 20, Lahiru Samarakoon 2/24, Sonal Dinusha 2/32, Lakshan Sandakan 4/37)

Dambulla 240-9 (48.5) (Pavan Ratnayaka 34, Kamindu Mendis 26, Ashan Priyanjan 24, Sonal Dinusha 53, Dushan Hemantha 37, Ranitha Liyanarachchi 21, Movin Subasinghe 3/46, Ashian Daniel 3/39)