NSL 4-day final heading for grandstand finish

 Wanindu Hasaranga of Dambulla celebrates one of his four wickets

• Dambulla lead Galle overall by 177 with 6 wickets in hand

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The National Super League 4-day final is one way or the other going to produce an outright winner and the possibility of it happening inside three days cannot be ruled out the way things have panned out on the first two days at the Galle Cricket Stadium.

By stumps on day two, Dambulla held onto an overall lead of 177 with six second innings wickets in hand. They have already taken the first innings lead which becomes vital if the match ends in a draw. But with 24 wickets having fallen in the two days so far, the chances are that the lead will be of less consequence as there is plenty of time left in the match to produce an outright winner.

Galle who have been dominant in the league stages have been pushed onto the back foot by a determined Dambulla side who are going all out for the title in their first appearance in a final. They have so far defended their moderate first innings total of 248 by terminating Galle’s first innings for 187, thus gaining a valuable 61 runs lead.

Dambulla’s second innings began disastrously for them losing their first four wickets for 55 with former Madeena College, Kandy pacie Mohammed Shiraz making early inroads into the batting following the run out of Abishek Liyanarachchi for six. Sonal Dinusha (51* off 141 balls, 7 fours) and evergreen Ashan Priyanjan (34* off 75 balls, 5 fours) checked the slide with an unfinished partnership of 61, which has somewhat steadied the innings.

Notwithstanding what target they may have to chase in the fourth innings, there is nothing to stop Galle from trying. Their top order failed in the first innings, but it cannot happen again a second time. That’s why it is imperative that Dambulla muster as many runs as possible in their second innings so as to give their bowlers a chance to set attacking fields in order to obtain wickets. A moderate target will not help Dambulla’s cause because Galle will have plenty of time to score the runs without taking any undue risks.

Resuming at 26-4, Galle lost overnight batsman Hashan Dumindu without any addition to the total and their leading run scorer Pasindu Sooriyabandara (14) was also out - both falling to the pace of Lahiru Samarakoon. They were in dire straits at 39-6. 

But Mahesh Kumara, a wonderfully talented wicket-keeper/batsman from Gurukula College, Kelaniya and Suminda Lakshan, a bowling all-rounder of immense potential put a stop to the rot with a stand of 82 for the seventh wicket to restore some stability to the batting. 

Following Lakshan’s dismissal for 41, (60 balls, 3 fours), Kumara kept the innings afloat adding a further 57 with Kavishka Anjula (26) till he was ninth out at 184, for a resilient innings of 78 scored off 120 balls (5 fours, 1 six).  The bowling honours were shared by Wanindu Hasaranga and Samarakoon who took seven wickets between them.

The match continues on its third day today.

Scores: 

Dambulla 248 and 116-4 at close (Sonal Dinusha 51*, Ashan Priyanjan 34*, Mohammed Shiraz 2/27)

Galle 187 (o/n 26-4) (Mahesh Kumara 78, Suminda Lakshan 41, Kavishka Anjula 26, Lahiru Samarakoon 3/42, Wanindu Hasaranga 4/64, Sonal Dinusha 2/32)