Samarawickrama century helps champs Jaffna turn tables on Kandy

NSL 50-over tournament

Wednesday, 15 March 2023 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Skipper Sadeera Samarawickrama led defending champs Jaffna to stunning win over Kandy

Down in the dumps at 94-7, Jaffna staged a remarkable fight back through their Captain Sadeera Samarawickrama and the late order batsmen to snatch a three-wicket win over Kandy in a National Super League 50-over match played at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium yesterday.

Chasing 228 to win, Jaffna were left with little hope of reaching their target when Ravindu Fernando (20) and then Dilum Sudeera (31*) helped their Captain stage a remarkable recovery and turn a possible defeat into victory. Fernando helped Samarawickrama in an eighth wicket stand of 63, and Sudeera in an unbroken ninth wicket partnership of 73 to turn the match on its head. Samarawickrama pacing out his innings superbly hit seven fours in his unbeaten knock of 101 scored off 113 balls. Earlier, Sudeera took four wickets with his left-arm spin to bowl out Kandy for 227.

A steady innings of 63 off 93 balls (8 fours) by Ranith Liyanarachchi and a cameo knock of 42 off 29 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes) by Wanindu Hasaranga enabled Dambulla beat Galle by 62 runs at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium in another match. Thanks to these two, Dambulla recovered from 99-5 to post a total of 233 and then dismiss Galle for 171. – (ST)

RESULTS:

At Pallekele: Dambulla beat Galle by 62 runs.

Dambulla 233 (49.2) (Minod Bhanuka 36, Ranitha Liyanarachchi 69, Wanindu Hasaranga 43, Lakshan Sandakan 20, Kavishka Anjula 2/38, Maheesh Theekshana 2/56, Suminda Lakshan 2/37)

Galle 171 (35.5) (Sohan de Livera 26, Dunith Wellalage 38, Kavishka Anjula 27, Nuwan Thushara 2/23, Ashan Priyanjan 2/22)

At Dambulla: Jaffna beat Kandy by three wickets.

Kandy 227 (49.3) (Lasith Croospulle 31, Thanuka Dabare 24, Lahiru Udara 36, Sahan Arachchige 40, Ahan Wickramasinghe 23, Binura Fernando 2/29, Pramod Madushan 2/34, Navod Paranavithana 2/41, Dilum Sudeera 4/39)

Jaffna 230-7 (48.4) (Navod Paranavithana 21, Sadeera Samarawickrama 101*, Ravindu Fernando 20, Dilum Sudeera 31*, Thanuka Dabare 3/23)