Pace setters Galle has defending champions Kandy on the ropes

Pasindu Sooriyabandara exults on reaching his maiden double century for Galle

Pavan Rathnayake held the Dambulla batting together with a refined knock of 117 against Jaffna  

Jaffna’s left-arm spinner Shashika Dulshan who took six wickets celebrates a dismissal

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Pace setters Galle had defending champions Kandy on the ropes at the end of the second day of the National Super League 4-day semi-finals played at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Continuing from their first day total of 356-3, Galle went onto amass 658-9 declared, leaving Kandy with the enormous task of topping that total and earning first innings points and going through to the final or failing which, they will not be able to defend the title they won last year. 

By the close Kandy had a struggle on their hands trying to climb the mountain that Galle had set for them, losing four wickets for 62 runs, and trailing by a massive 596 runs with two days of the match remaining.

The principal contributors to Galle’s massive total were opening bat and wicket-keeper Sohan de Livera who followed his career best knock of 143 against Jaffna last week with another delightful innings of 133 off 203 balls (12 fours) to provide his team with the platform to post a huge first innings total, and former Royal College and Sri Lanka Under-19 cricketer Pasindu Sooriyabandara who scored his maiden first-class double century – a refined 341-ball innings of 214* studded with 18 fours. His innings improved on his previous best of 195 for Moors SC against Kurunegala YCC in November last year.

During his tenure at the wicket, Sooriyabandara was involved in several century partnerships – 139 for the third wicket with De Livera, 122 for the sixth wicket with Suminda Lakshan (74 off 97 balls, 7 fours) and 110 for the seventh wicket with Kavishka Anjula (59 off 66 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes).

Useful contributions from the lower order saw Dambulla who resumed from their overnight score of 289-5 go on and total 426 at the P. Sara Oval. 

Former Mahanama College cricketer Pavan Rathnayake’s second first-class hundred, a refined 117 off 148 balls (12 fours, 3 sixes) laid the foundation for Dambulla’s total after which the middle and late order batters cashed in. Left-arm spinner Shashika Dulshan finished with six wickets for 131 for Jaffna – his eighth five-fer in 19 first-class matches.

Sri Lanka white ball spinner Wanindu Hasaranga swung the game towards Dambulla’s favour when he sent back top scorer Ron Chandraguptha for 97 (135 balls, 11 fours) and Shashika Dulshan off successive balls as Jaffna riding high at one time on 212-4 slumped to 220-7 by stumps, still trailing by 206 runs to obtain the vital first innings lead.

Both matches continue on their third day today.

DAY TWO SCORES:

+At R. Premadasa Stadium: Galle 658-9 decl. (o/n 356-3) (Sohan de Livera 133, Sangeeth Cooray 27, Lakshan Edirisinghe 49, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 214*, Dunith Wellalage 33, Mahesh Kumara 24, Suminda Lakshan 74, Kavishka Anjula 59, Lasith Embuldeniya 4/231, Sachithra Perera 2/123)

Kandy 62-4 at close (Lasith Croospulle 29*, Kavishka Anjula 2/13)

+At P. Sara Oval: Dambulla 426 (o/n 289-5) (Gayan Maneeshan 51, Abishek Liyanarachchi 37, Pavan Rathnayake 117, Sanoj Darshika 47, Ashan Priyanjan 49, Chamindu Wijesinghe 28, Dushan Hemantha 37, Lahiru Samarakoon 43, Eshan Malinga 3/65, Shashika Dulshan 6/131)

Jaffna 220-7 at close (Ron Chandraguptha 97, Avishka Tharindu 22, Sadeera Samarawickrama 34, Janith Liyanage 23, Lahiru Madushanka 34, Wanindu Hasaranga 3/42, Dushan Hemantha 2/51)