Selectors none the wise after Super Provincial curtain raisers

Jeffery Vandersay of Kandy (R) celebrates with his captain

Chamika Karunaratne of Colombo

Kusal Mendis of Galle scores

 By Madushka Balasuriya 

Prior to the start of the Super Provincial Tournament, Chief Selector Asantha De Mel had spoken of a need to strengthen Sri Lanka’s batting unit through a combination of top-order hitting and middle-order consolidation. 

Most important, he said, was identifying players capable of building an innings and laying a platform for late-game hitters like Thisara Perera and Isuru Udana. In that sense, what De Mel and his fellow selectors would have gleaned from the first round of Super Provincial Tournament matches played yesterday is anyone’s guess.

Under the searing Dambulla sun, Udana walked out to bat at number eight, with just 16 overs bowled in the innings, while his compatriot Perera all the way over in Kandy was indulging in the worst game of one-upmanship, strolling out at number seven in just the ninth over of his innings. In any event both lasted no more than a few overs, striking a handful of boundaries before eventually holing out.

For the selectors this first round of games would likely have only solidified their concerns; the majority of Sri Lankan batsmen are dangerously inept against quality fast bowling. 

Whether it was Lasith Malinga ripping through the Kandy batting line-up on his way to match figures of seven for 49, or Suranga Lakmal crippling Dambulla’s chase by removing a top order trio of Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka and Oshada Fernando in devastating opening spell, Sri Lanka’s finest had no answer.

Across the two games, only Avishka Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Sandun Weerakkody and Kusal Mendis managed to register a score over 50. Karunaratne’s innings in particular would have caught the selectors’ attention, with his 53-ball 57 lifting Colombo from 152/6 to 238/9. He added to that with two wickets, putting his name firmly in the hat for World Cup berth as an all-rounder.

Kamindu Mendis was another who would have pleased the selectors, scoring a 48-ball 31 in a 69-run fourth wicket partnership with Dinesh Chandimal. While Mendis’ innings itself wasn’t filled with fireworks, his ability to consolidate, along with his ambidextrous spin-bowling capabilities, keeps him in with a shout at securing a vacant spinning all-rounder role. He also took an excellent catch at first slip to dismiss Sachitra Serasinghe.

In terms of the final results, both Galle and Colombo recorded resounding wins, triumphing over Kandy and Dambulla by 156 and 82 runs respectively. The next round of games will take place tomorrow, with the match in Dambulla being broadcast live on Sri Lanka Cricket’s official YouTube channel and terrestrial television and the match in Kandy being broadcast on radio.

Kandy's Kasun Rajitha	A. Fernando of Colombo

Jeevan Mendis of Dambulla bowls	Lasith Malinga celeberates a fall of wicket of his own bowling