The Semi-Finals of the National Super League 4-day tournament commenced today (31st March) at Hambantota and Pallekele.
Read More : Dimuth & Prabath pilot Colombo to victory
Colombo vs Jaffna
Colombo skipper Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and opted to bat first at Hambantota. Colombo posted 224/6 at the end of the first day’s play.
Kusal Mendis made a classy half-ton top-scoring for the Colombo side as he made unbeaten 83 runs off 185 balls with 8 fours. Madawa Warnapura (42), skipper Karunaratne (39) and Krishan Sanjula (39) all got good starts with the bat but couldn’t convert them into substantial scores.
The off-spinner Dhananjaya De Silva was the pick of the bowlers for Jaffna as he grabbed 4 wickets for 42 runs.
Brief Scores
Colombo – 224/6 (90) K Mendis 83*, M Warnapura 42, D Karunaratne 39, K Sanjula 39, D De Silva 4/42
Stumps – Day 01
Kandy vs Galle
Having been put in to bat first, Kandy showed dominant batting effort putting on 192 runs for 2 wickets before the run brought early stumps on day one.
Oshada Fernando and skipper Kamindu Mendis, two in-form batters of the tournament, once again rose to the occasion smashing half-centuries for Kandy.
Read : Galle on top on day one despite Prabath Jayasuriya’s 6-fer
Fernando top-scored with a knock of 71 runs off 141 balls with 7 fours while Mendis contributed with 51 runs off 65 balls with 5 fours and a six.
Brief Scores
Kandy – 192/2 (59) O Fernando 71* K Mendis 51*, K Vidura 45, D Lakshan 2/29
Stumps – Day 01
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