Will Dambulla be able to contain the Galle juggernaut?

Dambulla Assistant Head Coach Upul Chandana and Captain Minod Bhanuka

• National Super League 4-day final from today

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Right throughout the National Super League 4-day tournament there has been one team that has so far dominated it. Galle seems to be invincible having gone through the league phase totalling 60.005 points in comparison to Dambulla (33.585), their opponents in the final beginning today at the Galle Cricket Stadium.

Galle are the only unbeaten side in the tournament and have proved it in no uncertain terms when they overwhelmed defending champions Kandy in the semi-finals racking up a massive 658-9 to ensure they won the contest in the first innings. Galle has a penchant for making huge totals as they scaled the heights to reach 703-9 against Colombo in the league phase. With two outright wins and two first innings wins out of four matches, Galle could consider themselves strong favourites to win the NSL four-day final.

They already hold a psychological advantage of having beaten Dambulla by an innings in the first round match, but since that defeat Dambulla have picked up and improved in leaps and bounds and look a balanced team that could give Galle a good run. The trump card for Dambulla is the return of Sri Lanka’s leading white ball bowler Wanindu Hasaranga whose presence in the last two matches saw Dambulla win against Colombo and against Jaffna.

“Definitely Wanindu will be an X-factor for Dambulla but we are not worried as a team because this is not his style of game, it’s a four-day match. We should be worried if it was a white ball match, but in red ball cricket there is always a chance for batters to come back not once but twice,” said Galle Head Coach Ruwan Kalpage.

“Wanindu also has to prove something for Sri Lanka and for the selectors to say that he is ready to play four‒day cricket. He is very good for Sri Lanka and definitely we are going to respect him. But as a team we are not worried about any one playing for Dambulla. On his day Wanindu will perform and other days he will not get any wickets. We have plans for him, we have got some left-handers in our team. It’s a challenge for our players also because if they can score runs off good bowlers it’s good for them and for Sri Lanka cricket and for the selectors.”

“Beating Dambulla in the first round match would be a psychological advantage, but when it comes to the final it is always a final. The team that performs well in that game will dominate. You cannot underestimate any team. I am happy the way the boys have been performing right throughout the tournament. So far we have scored seven hundreds and one double hundred, bowling wise if you take there are three main bowlers in the first ten. We have faith in our boys and as a team we are confident we can do well in the final because of the way we have been playing so far.”

Dambulla’s Assistant Head Coach Upul Chandana said the presence of Wanindu Hasaranga has been a big boon to the team. “There has been a big change in the team since his arrival. He was a good example to the rest of the players because he arrived in the morning after a T20 tournament and he insisted he wanted to play. If you have that kind of attitude that is what matters most. He has lifted the spirits of our team and fashioned out wins in our last two matches.”

“This is the first time that Dambulla has reached the final. We have a good all round side in batting and bowling. After we lost our first match (to Galle) we had a chat to rectify each players’ shortcomings. We identified the roles of each player, and asked them to play their roles. They undertook the responsibilities gradually and today we are in a good space mentally and expect to put up a good fight against Galle. Galle has also played well in this tournament. This final will be a good challenge for both teams.”

Dambulla who are playing at Galle for the first time will not have the services of opening bat Gayan Maneeshan who has a fractured hand and will be replaced by Leo Fransisco.

With rain being experienced in Galle, there is a chance of the final being interrupted over the four days. “If we can play all four days without any interruptions from the weather it will be a good final,” said Kalpage.

The winning team will receive Rs. 5 million, the runner-up team Rs. 2.5 million and individual awards of Rs. 750,000 to the Player of the Tournament and Rs. 250,000 each to Best Batsman and Best Bowler of the Tournament.