Table toppers Galle in control; Colombo struggle against Dambulla

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Table toppers Galle held a firm grip on their National Super League 4-day match against Jaffna on the second day at the Galle Cricket Stadium yesterday, while at Hambantota, Colombo had a fight on their hands trying to gain a first innings lead over Dambulla.   

Jaffna fought back strongly to capture the remaining six Galle wickets for 44 runs, to keep the first innings lead down to 128, but found themselves fighting to save the match when they lost half the side for 219 by the close to hold onto an overall lead of only 91 with five second innings wickets in hand going into the third day today.

Opening bat Sohan de Livera who held the Galle batting together extended his overnight score of 105 to a career best 143 off 218 balls (16 fours) before being eighth out at 248. With Mahesh Kumara (48), de Livera added 147 for the fifth wicket. Jaffna’s fight back was led by left-arm spinner Shashika Dulshan who improved on his career figures taking 4 for 37.

Ron Chandraguptha scored a solid 86 off 169 balls (8 fours), Janith Liyanage (40) and Avishka Tharindu (62* off 114 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) as Jaffna tried to wrest back the initiative, but lost the important wicket of Chandraguptha and Dulshan in one over to spinner Akila Dananjaya as they slipped from 209-3 to 219-5 by the close.

At the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota, Colombo were struggling at 208-6 in trying to gain the vital first innings lead from Dambulla. In reply to Dambulla’s total of 341, Colombo ended the second day trailing by 133 runs with four wickets in hand. Former Sri Lanka Test batsman Roshane Silva was unbeaten on 47* scored off 125 balls (3 fours) with Pramod Maduwantha (24*). 

Earlier openers Krishan Sanjula (57 off 81 balls, 12 fours) and Navindu Nirmal (46) had given Colombo a sound start with 77, but they lost their way in the middle to slump to 162-6 as fast bowler Lahiru Samarakoon found appreciable movement to remove the top four batsmen to end the day with figures of 4/54.

Dambulla’s last four wickets added 44 runs to their overnight total of 297-6 with Ashan Priyanjan going onto score 114 off 192 balls (11 fours) and fast bowler Himesh Ramanayake, son of former Sri Lanka fast bowler Champaka Ramanayake ending with figures of four for 76.

Both matches continue on their third day today.

DAY TWO SCORES:  

+At Galle: Jaffna 130 and 219-5 at close (Ron Chandraguptha 86, Janith Liyanage 40, Avishka Tharindu 62*, Akila Dananjaya 3/59)

Galle 258 (o/n 193-4) (Sohan de Livera 143, Mahesh Kumara 48, Binura Fernando 2/52, Lahiru Madushanka 2/42, Shashika Dulshan 4/37)

+At Hambantota: Dambulla 341 (o/n 297-6) (Leo Fransisco 26, Sanoj Darshika 43, Minod Bhanuka 73, Ashan Priyanjan 114, Chamindu Wijesinghe 27, Ranitha Liyanarachchi 23*, Nuwan Pradeep 2/67, Dushan Vimukthi 2/72, Himesh Ramanayake 4/76)

Colombo 208-6 at close (Krishan Sanjula 57, Navindu Nirmal 46, Roshane Silva 47*, Lakshitha Manasinghe 20, Pramod Maduwantha 24*, Lahiru Samarakoon 4/54)