All-round Jayasuriya makes it two out of two for Colombo

The second set of matches in the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Super Four Provincial Limited Over Tournament were worked off today(5). 

Colombo vs Kandy

It was the battle of the two unbeaten teams from the first round of matches and it was Team Colombo who came out on top by 58 runs to record consecutive wins and remain as the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

Team Colombo were in a spot of bother at 63/3 after they won the toss and elected to bat first, but a superb stand of 165 runs for the fourth wicket between Shehan Jayasuriya and Chamara Silva got them back on track to 228/4, with almost 15 overs remaining when Jayasuriya departed for a well made century.

Read: Scintillating Thirimanne & Udawatte guide Colombo and Kandy to wins

Silva fell soon after before the wickets started to tumble, as Colombo were eventually bowled out for 299 with four balls to spare in their innings. Jeevan Mendis was the chief destroyer with the ball for Kandy as his late wickets helped his team to restrict Colombo under the 300 run mark.

Kandy was well set for a win at 189/2 in the 36th over but the man with the golden arm Jayasuriya removed both set batsmen Angelo Mathews(27) and Mahela Udawatte(71) in consecutive deliveries to leave the game in the balance. Lakshan Sandakan joined the party from there onwards as he took care of the middle and lower order with a four wicket haul as Kandy lost their last 8 wickets for just 52 runs to be bowled out for 241 with more than six overs remaining.

Apart from Udawatte’s half century, Niroshan Dickwella continued his impressive run of form with a brisk 60 off 62 balls which included five fours and two sixes.

Dambulla vs Galle 

Team Galle held their nerve to record their first win of the tournament when they overcame Team Dambulla by 11 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis(D/L) method.

Dambulla after being sent into bat posted a competitive 257/8 in their allotted fifty overs on a tricky surface which made batting look hard. The star of their batting effort was Ashan Priyanjan who has hit a golden run of form as he followed up his half century from the previous game with a quality century. He hit 101 off 120 balls inclusive of 4 sixes and 6 fours while Milinda Siriwardena chipped in with a quick fire 45.

Watch Replay: SLC Super Provincial One Day Tournament – Colombo vs Dambulla

It was Galle’s pace battery who did bulk of the damage sharing seven wickets among them with Suranga Lakmal and Nisala Tharaka picking up two apiece while Dasun Shanaka captured three.

It was always going to be a tricky run chase but Galle skipper Upul Tharanga made a fluent 86 off 79 balls at the top of the order but Galle made it hard for themselves with wickets at crucial stages of their innings.

Asitha Fernando(3/61) and Amila Aponso(2/34) chipped away for Dambulla but the Galle lower order held firm to make sure they were ahead by 11 runs on the D/L at 250/8 after 46 overs.