Galle and Colombo battle it out at Pallekele today

By Shamseer Jaleel

SLC Inter Provincial Cricket tournament 2019 will come into its last sets of matches in round one when Galle and Colombo battle in the pick of the games today at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, while Dambulla and Kandy will play at Dambulla Rangiri Stadium.

Both matches will be day encounters commencing at 9.45 a.m. 

Kandy, who was beaten by Galle and Colombo, will be playing for pride as they have no chance of making it to the final encounter on 11 April. Meanwhile Dambulla lost out to Colombo and Galle is likely to feature on 10 April in the playoff for the 3rd place between the same two teams.

The Kandy team’s few successes were their bowlers, both Kasun Rajitha and Jeff Vandersay taking three wickets and Rajitha following with another two in their last game against Colombo, while Dimuth Karunaratne scored 39 not out and 44.

In the second game, Galle will meet Colombo, both teams having won the two matches played so far. All eyes will be on the Galle skipper, Lasith Malinga who had a superb exhibition of fast bowling when he returned from the IPL from the Mumbai Indians game where he ripped through the Kandy batting with a seven wicket haul. In batting, Kusal Mendis and Sandun Weerakody had a good start and will be expected to continue their good work, with Colombo-led Chandimal and Shehan Jayasuriya, the century maker in the last game, in the lime light.

Teams:

Colombo – Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Upul Tharanga (vice-captain), Avishka Fernando, Angelo Perera, Ashan Priyanjan, Kamindu Mendis, Seekkuge Prasanna, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Asitha Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Chamara Silva, Mohammed Shiraz, Shehan Jayasuriya

Kandy – Dimuth Karunarathne (captain), Thisara Perera (vice-captain), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Pathum Nissanka, Priyamal Perera, Roshen Silva, Asela Gunaratne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Malinda Pushpakumara, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Pradeep, Chathuranga De Silva, Sachithra Senanayake, Dilesh Gunaratne, Manoj Sarathchandra

Galle – Lasith Malinga (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne (vice-captain), Kusal Mendis, Sandun Weerakkody, Mahela Udawatte, Minod Bhanuka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Milinda Siriwardena, Nishan Peiris, Chamikara Edirisinghe, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Madushanka, Sammu Ashan, Shehan Madushanka, Wanindu Hasaranga

Dambulla – Angelo Mathews (captain), Niroshan Dickwella (vice-captain), Danushka Gunathilake, Oshada Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jeewan Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Lakshan Sandakan, Prabath Jayasuriya, Isuru Udana, Ishan Jayaratne, Sachithra Serasinghe, Vishwa Fernando, Ashen Bandara, Ramesh Mendis