Colombo maintain unbeaten run with successive wins; win each for Galle and Dambulla

ShriyanOb03

Colombo chalked up successive wins in their two matches against Dambulla by 3 wickets and Galle by 7 wickets respectively in maintaining their unbeaten record from four outings in the SLC T20 League 2018 matches worked off on Saturday and Sunday at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.

Meanwhile, Galle won their first outing against Kandy by 7 runs while Dambulla atoned for their previous day’s loss by defeating Kandy by 6 runs in their second encounter.

In the first encounter, Galle batting first totaled 193 for 5 in 20 overs with skipper Dimuth Karunaratne top scoring with a forceful 80 off just 49 balls inclusive of 12 boundaries and a six while Kusal Mendis made 40 off 28 containing 3 boundaries and a six. Kandy made a bold run chase of the 194-run victory target falling short by 6 runs totaling 186 for 8 in 20 overs. Bhanuka Rajapaksa struck a superb 63 off only 33 balls spiced with 6 boundaries and 3 sixes.

A Dananjaya (C)

In the next match Dambulla taking first lease of the wicket were all out for 123 with Ramith Rambukwella top scoring with a 22-ball 33 hitting 3 sixes and 2 boundaries. The next best contribution was by Danushka Gunathilaka who made 23 off 30 hitting a boundary and six apiece. Doing the damage with the ball for Colombo was Akila Dananjaya who claimed 3 for 28 while Jeevan Mendis took 2 for 19.

Colombo were made to fight all the way to reach the victory target of 124 for the loss of 7 wickets with Upul Tharanga continuing his good form with a 21-ball 35 packed with 6 boundaries and a six. Kamindu Mendis was unbeaten on 23 off 22 with 2 boundaries while skipper Dinesh Chandimal scored 20 off 26 hitting a six.

Wanidu Hasaranga de Silva with 3 for 20   was the pick of the bowlers for Dambulla.

In Sunday’s encounter Colombo strolled to a 7-wicket win over Galle with 4 overs to spare racing to 134 for just 3 wickets in 16 overs spearheaded by a 41-ball 81 by Upul Tharanga inclusive of 8 boundaries and 5 sixes and an unbeaten 38 by Dinesh Chandimal having restricted their opponents to 131 for 8 in 20 overs. Chandimal struck 3 boundaries and a six.

The Dambulla-Kandy match went down to the wire with the latter making a bold attempt to reach the 218-run victory target on the back of a gallant 46-ball 81 by skipper Dasun Shanaka packed with 5 boundaries and 5 sixes. That was after Danushka Gunathilaka had blasted 87 off 54 balls laced with 14 boundaries in a total of 217 for 4 in 20 overs. Ramith Rambukwella rattled 38 off 24 hitting 3 sixes and 4 boundaries.

CHIEF SCORES:

On Saturday Galle beat Kandy by 7 runs:

Galle 193/5 (20 Overs) Run Rate: 9.65

(B.K.G. Mendis 40, F.D.M. Karunaratne 80, D.A.S. Gunaratne n.o. 20,

D.M. de Silva 18, P.M. Pushpakumara 2/38) 

Kandy 186/8 (20 Overs) Run Rate: 9.3

(P.B.B. Rajapaksa 63, P.M. Pushpakumara 26, M.D. Shanaka 24, K.I.C. Asalanka 17, H.D.R.L. Thirimanne 20, S.L. Malinga n.o. 14, K.N. Peiris 2/24, C.A.K. Rajitha 2/37, J.D.F. Vandersay 2/33, H.U.K. Madushanka 2/8)

Colombo beat Dambulla by 3 wickets:

Dambulla 123 All out. (18.5 Overs) Run Rate: 6.53

(R.L.B. Rambukwella 33, M.D. Gunathilaka 23, P.W.H. de Silva 15, M. Bhanuka 13, D.S.K. Madushanka 12,

A. Dananjaya 3/28, B.M.A.J. Mendis 2/19)

Colombo 124/7 (19 Overs) Run Rate: 6.53

(W.U. Tharanga 35, P.H.K.D. Mendis n.o. 23, L.D. Chandimal n.o. 20, P.C. de Silva 14,

On Sunday Colombo beat Galle by 7 wickets.

Galle 131/8 (20 Overs) Run Rate: 6.55

(D.M. de Silva 44, B.K.G. Mendis 36, K.N.M. Fernando 19,

A. Dananjaya 3/28).

Colombo 134/3 (16 Overs)

(W.U. Tharanga 81, L.D. Chandimal n.o. 38, C.A.K. Rajitha 2/36)

Dambulla beat Kandy by 6 runs:

Dambulla 217/4 (20 Overs) Run Rate: 10.85

(M.D. Gunathilaka 87, R.L.B. Rambukwella 38, I. Udana n.o. 27, H. de Silva n.o. , P.W.S. Samarawickrema 23, P.L.S. Gamage 2/42)

Kandy 211/7 (20 Overs) Run Rate: 10.55

(M.D. Shanaka 81, K.I.C. Asalanka 43, N.T. Gamage n.o. 34,  S.L. Malinga n.o. 14,

M.D.K. Perera 2/20, D.S.K. Madushanka 2/45)

By Srian Obeyesekere