Terrific Thisara terminates Tuskers

Thisara Perera celebrates after completing the catch to dismiss Brendan Taylor 

By Madushka Balasuriya

Dhananjaya De Silva

Thisara Perera

The Jaffna Stallions extended their unbeaten streak in the LPL cantering to a 54-run victory over the Kandy Tuskers in Sooriyawewa last night, and with it went two points clear at the top of the table after three games. The result means the Tuskers, who have lost three of their four matches, languish in fourth one spot above last-placed Galle Gladiators.

The win was secured thanks to stellar bowling performance by the Stallions, with Usman Shinwari, the pick of the bowlers, with figures of 3 for 17 in three overs, while Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga picked up two apiece. It was however a performance nevertheless primarily centred round yet another all-round masterclass from Thisara Perera, who bludgeoned a 28-ball 68 to go with his two scalps and three catches. 

For the second straight game the Stallions’ top order failed, and for the second straight game Thisara bailed them out – though this time he had a touch more help. In an innings that mirrored the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the one from 24 hours prior, the last 10 overs once more overflowed with runs – 135 – as opposed to the 10 overs that preceded it where only 50 runs were scored.

But while Perera’s destructive knock, inclusive of five 4s and 6s apiece, will understandably take much of the plaudits, the importance of Dhananjaya de Silva’s 38-ball 61 – on an emotional day in which the main suspect in his father’s murder was apprehended – cannot be overstated.

Dhananjaya’s innings initially was one of pure consolidation, almost as if he was biding his time until he was partnered with Thisara; having arrived at the crease at the end of the third over, Dhananjaya wouldn’t hit his first boundary until the end of the 11th – a glorious six straight back over Asela Gunaratne’s head – a strike that would take him to a run-a-ball 23.

Thisara would take over thereafter, smiting Kamindu Mendis the following over for two maximums and a four. Over the next few overs, the Stallions’ skipper would leapfrog Dhananjaya in the scoring stakes to bring up his 50 off just 22 deliveries. 

But almost as if setting off a switch in his brain, this would awaken Dhananjaya’s more attacking instincts, after which he would proceed to dispatch Dilruwan Perera for 20 runs off the next four deliveries – two 4s, two 6s – to bring up a half century of his own.

To compound matters for the Tuskers, the first ball of the next over would see Thisara dropped in the deep by Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Perera would eventually fall six balls later, caught at sweeper cover by Seekkuge Prasanna, but not before he bludgeoned a further two 6s and a 4 – his partnership with Dhananjaya worth 118 runs by the time he was dismissed. Dhananjaya too would fall the very next ball, out caught at third man.

At 166/5 midway through the 18th over, the Stallions would have been eyeing a score in the region of 200, but with the two set batsman out the Tuskers managed to reel in the scoring and limit them to 185/8. In their chase, despite losing Gurbaz and Kusal Perera early, Brendan Taylor – the hero from the Tuskers’ previous game – would keep his side in the chase putting together successive partnerships with Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis and Asela Gunaratne. But wickets at regular intervals would stifle the Tuskers’ innings, and when Taylor himself fell in the 11th over after a 32-ball 46, the game was as good as done.

With the asking rate rising fast, Gunaratne tried in vain to up the scoring with a few strong hits, before eventually being the last wicket to fall as the Tuskers were bowled out for 131.