Galle favourites against depleted Kandy in NSL 4-day final today

• Prize money worth Rs. 7.5 m at stake

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Two teams that have met twice and won and lost against each other in the league phase Galle and Kandy front up for the most cherished prize in the domestic circuit, the National Super League 4-day final at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium today with the winner standing to lay hands on Rs. 5 million and the runner-up Rs. 2.5 million.

On current form Galle looks the favourites to clinch the title. Their only loss in the league round was to Kandy in the first match which they lost in the first innings, otherwise they have been dominant in the rest of their matches notching up the highest total of the tournament – 711-9 declared against Jaffna and twice crossing the 400-run mark.

Galle has a finely balanced side with both batsmen and bowlers contributing equally to their success. Oshada Fernando and Pasindu Sooriyabandara are the leading run-getters in the tournament each having exceeded the 800-run mark and scored two centuries each which includes a double century as well. They have a pretty strong batting line-up which includes Vishad Randika, Lakshan Edirisinghe and Sangeeth Cooray all of whom have scored a century apiece. In the bowling line-up they have their two key spinners – Nishan Peiris (off-spin) and Nimesh Vimukthi (left-arm spin). Together they have captured 53 wickets between them. Seamer Pramod Madushan has been their other leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets.

Galle however will miss the services of Sooriyabandara and Vimukthi who have been called up to represent Sri Lanka ‘A’ in the unofficial ODI series against Afghanistan ‘A’ and also fast bowler Milan Ratnayake who is down with chicken pox. However they have sufficient replacements in the side in all-rounder Dhananjaya Lakshan and skipper Ramesh Mendis.

“The unity in the team strengthened considerably after the loss to Kandy,” said Muthumudalige Pushpakumara who is at present the interim coach of Galle in the absence of Ruwan Kalpage who has moved to serve in the High Performance Centre (HPC). “The players were together and there was a lot of bonding. After the match there was a different atmosphere in the dressing room. Players took responsibility. That is how we’ve improved our 

performances.”

“We have given each of the player’s specific targets to reach. Oshada’s plan is to get to 1000 runs in the NSL. Nishan Peiris is our highest wicket taker with 30 wickets. Our plan is to have 3-4 players in the top 10 of the batting and bowling.”

Fernando is the leading run-getter in the tournament with 808 runs and is coming into the final on the back of a double century and 89* in Galle’s last game against Colombo.

“We have a lot of confidence going into the final because we have won all our matches after the first game. We have plans for the opposition, and just because Kandy has lost several players does not mean we are changing any of our plans. We are going ahead with our normal preparations like for any other match. We have to keep the momentum going. The players are determined to give 100 percent and finish it off,” said Pushpakumara, a former Sri Lanka white ball cricketer who is handling a local side for the first time after serving as head coach of Kuwait for four years since 2019.

“After coaching for several years to get a responsibility like this is a good experience because there are national players, future players, development and emerging players. To work with them is a good experience. I stopped playing cricket early to concentrate on a career in coaching.”   

Kandy will be very badly hit by the absence of their most prominent top order batters Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara and Ahan Wickramasinghe, all-rounders Chamika Karunaratne, Sahan Arachchige and Wanuja Sahan and fast bowler Chamika Gunasekara all of whom have been called up for the unofficial ODI series against Afghanistan ‘A’. It will be a virtual second string side that Kandy will be able to put out.  

Kandy’s Head Coach Ruwin Peiris however is optimistic that his inexperienced side will be able to give Galle a good run.

“We have a very good young team of new players who have played first-class cricket. We don’t have the experience, but they are good enough to play in the final. They know what is required of them,” said Peiris.

“Unfortunately we have to stay with the available players and give some confidence to them for the final. Most of the time it’s the mind-set. If we can control that, we can do what we need to do, I trust the players can do better in the middle over the 

four days.”

Peiris, a former first-class cricketer with over 7000 runs and 11 centuries said that it was the first in the tournament that Kandy had been hit so badly with so many key players being unavailable, also at a crucial game as the final. Former Sri Lanka Test spinner Lasith Embuldeniya who is the only surviving national cricketer in the side will lead Kandy.