Colombo Stars dimmed by Dambulla Giants

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Colombo Stars lost a golden opportunity to go to the top of the table when Dambulla Giants beat them

Najibullah Zadran of Dambulla Giants celebrates his fifty

Colombo Stars fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera (left) finally gets the wicket of Player of the Match Phil Salt of Dambulla Giants for 62

by 18 runs in the first of a double-header Lanka Premier League match played at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Power-packed half-centuries from Phil Salt and Najibullah Zadran and final touches provided by the captain Dasun Shanaka saw Dambulla Giants get the highest total of the tournament – 195/6, improving on their own total of 190/7 in the opening game against Kandy Warriors. Colombo were dismissed for 177 in the penultimate over.

Player of the Match Salt contributed a rapid 62 off 34 balls (two sixes, eight fours), laying the foundation for the big total with a first wicket stand of 57 off 3.3 overs with Niroshan Dickwella (17).

Zadran and Shanaka provided the final flourish to the innings, putting together a partnership of 77 off 47 balls to get them to the total. Zadran was completely out of sorts at the beginning of his innings – his first 14 balls fetching him only 9 runs. However, he made full use of his time in the middle to accelerate in the latter stages to score 54 off 40 balls (two sixes, six fours). Shanaka slammed a quick-fire 38 off 25 balls (three fours, two sixes). Dushmantha Chameera was the pick of the Colombo bowlers with figures of 3/34.

For Colombo to chase down this imposing target, they had to bat out of their skin, but although they made a great effort to get there, Dambulla ensured that none of them stayed long enough to wrestle the initiative from them. Four of the Colombo batsmen got into the twenties but none could convert it into a big innings as Dambulla kept on chipping away at the wickets through a combination of spin and seam.

Result:

Dambulla Giants 195/6 (20) (Phil Salt 62, Najibullah Zadran 54, Dasun Shanaka 38, Dushmantha Chameera 3/34) beat Colombo Stars 177 (18.5) (Tom Banton 23, Kusal Perera 20, Dinesh Chandimal 26, Dhananjaya de Silva 21, Chamika Karunaratne 2/46, Nuwan Pradeep 3/50, Tharindu Ratnayake 2/17, Imran Thahir 2/36) by 18 runs.