Kandy emerge NSL 4-day champs as rain has final say

Monday, 11 April 2022 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

NSL 4-day champion team Kandy

Player of the Tournament Kamindu Mendis (Kandy)

Best Batsman of the Tournament Oshada Fernando (Kandy)

Best Bowler of the Tournament Prabath Jayasuriya (Colombo)

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Heavy rain throughout yesterday had the final say in the National Super League (NSL) 4-day final forcing the fourth and final day’s play to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Kandy held the reins going into the fourth and final day at the Galle International Cricket Stadium having gained a massive 217-run first-innings lead over Jaffna and extending it to 269 by scoring 52-1 in their second innings at the end of day three.

With rain washing outplay and forcing a draw Kandy by virtue of their lead in the first innings was declared champions. It was sweet revenge for Kandy who lost the NSL 50-over final to Jaffna by 37 runs.

Going into the final Kandy were the stronger side with their batting running down to number seven and with Sri Lankan bowlers in the calibre of Avishka Fernando and Lasith Embuldeniya in their ranks.

Kandy’s first innings total of 444 proved too big a target for the Jaffna batsmen to match and they were dismissed for 227. Jaffna’s batting was too reliant on their skipper national cap Dhananjaya de Silva making a big score for them to get anywhere close to the Kandy total.

De Silva, however, made 30 before offering a catch and with his dismissal, Jaffna’s chances receded as the spin of Embuldeniya and Ashian Daniel and the pace of Fernando consumed their batting.

Kandy captain Kamindu Mendis who had a tremendous tournament being the leading run-getter with 886 runs (avg. 80.54) from six matches with four hundreds and four fifties was named the Player of the Tournament and collected a cheque for Rs. 500,000.

As captain of the winning side Mendis also received a cheque for Rs. 5 million. His opposite number Dhananjaya de Silva of Jaffna has presented a cheque for Rs. 2.5 million as runner-up.

The Best Batsman’s award of Rs. 250,000 went to Kandy’s Oshada Fernando who accumulated 721 runs (avg. 80.11) from six matches with four centuries and three fifties.

The Best Bowler’s award of Rs. 250,000 was won by left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya of Colombo who ended up taking the highest number of wickets, 26 at an average of 22.15 from four matches.

The awards were distributed by Tournament Committee Chairman Samantha Dodanwela and National Cricket Operations Head Chinthaka Edirimanne.

Scores: Kandy 444 and 52-1 and Jaffna 227.