Galle crown themselves NSL 4-day champions

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NSL 4-day champions Galle

Ramesh Mendis wins Player of the Final award

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Galle completed a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Kandy in the final to clinch the National Super League 4-day title for the first time at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Kandy were the winners of the inaugural tournament in 2022 and last year Dambulla were the champions.

Starting the fourth and final day requiring 176 for victory, Galle got them in 27.4 overs in the first session of play mainly through a second wicket stand of 93 between Oshada Fernando and Lakshan Edirisinghe.

After Edirisinghe was dismissed for an enterprising 56 off 57 balls (8 fours, 1 six), Fernando carried Galle to victory scoring an undefeated 77 off 84 balls (11 fours) in the company of Vishad Randika (14*) who made the winning hit a boundary off Kandy captain Lasith Embuldeniya.

It was the experience that Galle carried in their line-up that made the difference between the two sides. Kandy, despite taking a slender 12-run first innings lead could not capitalise on that advantage and collapsed for 163 in their second innings, leaving Galle with a target of 176 to chase in the fourth innings.

Fernando, who was dismissed for a second ball duck in the first innings, made amends in the second and his unbeaten 77 took his total aggregate in the tournament to 885 runs (avg. 68.07) making him the highest run-getter. He took the Best Batsman of the Tournament award (Rs. 250,000) jointly with team mate Pasindu Sooriyabandara who finished with an aggregate of 807 (avg. 67.25). Sooriyabandara was unavailable for the final as he was representing Sri Lanka ‘A’ in the unofficial ODI series against Afghanistan ‘A’. So was Player of the Tournament (Rs. 500,000) Sonal Dinusha of Dambulla.

Galle also had the highest wicket-taker of the tournament in off-spinner Nishan Peiris who finished with 35 wickets (avg. 14.68). However the Best Bowler of the Tournament award (Rs. 250,000) went to Kandy’s Wanuja Sahan who took 34 wickets (avg. 19.38).

Galle Captain Ramesh Mendis who scored a century and took four wickets in the match was the Player of the Final (Rs. 100,000). He also collected a cheque for Rs. 5 million as the winning team. Kandy received Rs. 2.5 million as runner-up.

The awards were presented by SLC Executive Committee member Janaka Pathirana, SLC National Cricket Operations Head Chinthaka Edirimanne and SLC High Performance Head Tim McCaskill.

Scores:

Kandy 316 and 163

Galle 304 and 178-3 (Oshada Fernando 77*, Lakshan Edirisinghe 56)