Pavan, Sonal keep Dambulla in the game

Pavan Ratnayaka scored an 

undefeated 80 for defending champions Dambulla 

National Super League 4-day tournament

Unbeaten half-centuries from Pavan Ratnayaka (80* off 156 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and Sonal Dinusha (65* off 113 balls, 6 fours) saw defending champions Dambulla reach 280-6 on the opening day of their National Super League 4-day match played at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

The pair has so far added 137 runs for the fifth wicket in an unbroken partnership. Leo Fransisco (35) and Sanoj Darshika (40) had laid the stage with an opening stand of 79 after Dambulla had won the toss and chose to bat first. Skipper Minod Bhanuka plundered 47 off 50 balls (6 fours, 1 six).

Galle’s right-arm seamer Udith Madushan took 4/45 to dismiss Colombo for 145 on the first day of their match played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota. Nipun Dananjaya made an attractive 63 off 94 balls (7 fours), but none of the other batsmen were comfortable against Galle’s three-pronged seam attack including Test opener Dimuth Karunaratne who was dismissed for one. By the close Galle were also struggling having lost half the side for 87 to trail by 58 runs. Both matches will continue on their second day today. – (ST)