Monday Mar 31, 2025
Monday Mar 31, 2025
Thursday, 27 March 2025 02:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The first two weekends have produced some intense cricket but with no clear leaders
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Following matches played in the first two weekends of the 4th National Super League tournament in Galle and in Hambantota, the focus for the third weekend shifts to Dambulla and Colombo, two venues where batsmen are certain to thrive, but taking into account the current hot and dry weather conditions would also assist spin.
Both Colombo and Dambulla who were at the receiving end last weekend meet at the Rangiri Dambulla Cricket Stadium today, while at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium, Kandy takes on Jaffna.
With table leaders Galle having a free weekend, it affords second placed Colombo and third placed Kandy to grab full points and move to the table top.
Galle has looked the more dominant team racking up the highest total in the tournament so far – 602-9 declared in their opening match and then following it up by beating Dambulla convincingly in the next.
Colombo began well with a win against Jaffna but lost ground in their second match being shot out for 106 in the first innings against Kandy. They however showed some fight in the second innings to deprive Kandy of full points, holding onto a draw after being set a massive target of 599.
So far the spinners have been assertive with four of them occupying the top five positions in the bowling, the rare exception being fast bowling all-rounder Milan Rathnayake of Galle with 8 wickets.
The other four places are taken by spinners Akila Dananjaya (12), Nishan Peiris (11), Dunith Wellalage (9) and Jeffrey Vandersay (8).
Kandy southpaw Kamil Mishara with scores of 158*, 172 and 1 is way ahead in the list of top run scorers with 331 at a handsome average of 165.50. Asitha Fernando, Nipun Dananjaya, Oshada Fernando, Nuwanidu Fernando and Ramesh Mendis are the other batters who have scored a hundred in the tournament so far.
Following two weekends of intense cricket there are no clear leaders for the top two places. The remaining three weekends of matches starting from today are bound to produce stiff competition from the five teams to finish one-two in the standings to qualify for the final.
