Wellalage stars as Jaffna has the last laugh

The winning Jaffna team with the Champions trophy

• Kandy lose National Super League L/O final by 37 runs

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Dunith Wellalage, the Sri Lanka U19 World Cup captain played a pivotal role in Jaffna upsetting high riding Kandy by winning the National Super League Limited Overs final played under lights at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium by 37 runs on Saturday.

Wellalage top scored for Jaffna with a sprightly knock of 74 off 87 balls (5 fours, 1 six) and then captured the crucial wicket of Kandy skipper Kamindu Mendis for 46 as Jaffna bowled Kandy out for 221 in the 46th over chasing a target of 259.

For his excellent effort Wellalage took the Man of the Final award of Rs. 50,000.

It was sweet revenge for Jaffna who had lost both their round robin league matches to Kandy, and it could not have come at a better occasion than a final.

Invited to bat first Jaffna lost their stand-in captain Sadeera Samarawickrama for six in the fourth over and also Saminda Fernando who had replaced captain Dhananjaya de Silva in the side for six, to be 45-2 at the end of the first power play.

Nimanda Madushanka (35), one of two changes Jaffna made for the final joined Wellalage in a crucial fourth wicket stand of 80. Some late hitting by Ravindu Fernando (41 off 42 balls) saw Jaffna to their final total of 258 even though they didn’t play out the full quota of 50 overs.

Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando was Kandy’s chief wicket-taker with five for 44.

Kandy’s top order was derailed by pacie Pramod Madushan who took three of the first four wickets to fall for 65. Mendis and Sahan Arachchige rebuilt the innings with a stand of 73. But once it was broken Kandy could not forge any noteworthy partnerships as wickets started to fall at regular intervals and the required run rate started to rise. The crucial wicket of Thikshila de Silva (37 off 19 balls) in the 42nd over to Nimanda Madushanka ended all hopes of victory. Madushanka picked up the remaining two wickets to finish the match with three wickets to follow his vital contribution with the bat.

Jaffna picked up a cheque for Rs. 500,000 as winners and Kandy received Rs. 300,000 as runner-up.

Nuwanidu Fernando of Colombo with the second highest run aggregate in the tournament (365 runs) won the Best Batsman’s prize of Rs. 150,000 and Kandy’s leg-spinner Pulina Tharanga, the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 19 wickets took the Rs. 150,000 Best Bowler’s award.

Scores:

• Jaffna 258 (48.3) (Nishan Madushka 36, Dunith Wellalage 74, Nimanda Madushanka 35, Ravindu Fernando 41, Asitha Fernando 5/44, Sachindu Colombage 2/53)
• Kandy 221 (45.5) (Kaveen Bandara 24, Oshada Fernando 22, Kamindu Mendis 46, Sahan Arachchige 33, Thikshila de Silva 37, Sachindu Colombage 20, Pramod Madushan 4/59, Nimanda Madushanka 3/17)

Man of the Final Dunith Wellalage of Jaffna

Best Batsman of the Tournament Nuwanidu Fernando of Colombo

Best Bowler of the Tournament Pulina Tharanga of Kandy