Colombo finish strongly, Kandy takes slender lead

Colombo ended the second day of the National Super League 4-day tournament strongly posting a first innings total of 405 against Galle at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota yesterday. In the other match played at the SSC, Kandy gained a slender first innings lead over Jaffna.

Nisala Tharaka scored a fighting 82 off 166 balls (7 fours) and with useful contributions from the late order Tharindu Ratnayake (28) and Kasun Rajitha (34*) enabled Colombo to put up a challenging first innings total of 405 after Sri Lanka white ball cricketer Avishka Fernando had played a captain’s innings of 150 on the first day. Fernando who has appeared in more white-ball cricket than first-class matches playing only his 26th first-class game (he has played 29 ODIs and 33 T20Is) was in superlative form striking 21 fours and a six.

Colombo did not get off to the best of starts losing their first three wickets for 24 including that of Test Captain Dimuth Karunaratne who was making his first appearance in the tournament for four. However, contributions of 40 off 112 balls (6 fours) from Dishan Vimukthi and Tharaka saw them recover.

In reply Galle finished day two on 131-2 with former Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews (32*) and Lakshan Edirisinghe (52*) having a big task ahead of them trying to gain the vital first innings lead which is 275 runs away when play continues on its third day today.

In the other match at the SSC grounds, former Royalist Ahan Wickramasinghe followed his third first-class century on the first day with an unbeaten knock of 51 as Kandy who gained a narrow first innings lead of 20 ended the second day on 172-6 – an overall lead of 192 with four wickets in hand going into the third day today.

Wickramasinghe who helped Kandy recover from losing half the side for 114 to post a total of 265 in the first innings with an innings of 101 off 108 balls (13 fours, 1 six) has another responsible innings to play if they are to set Jaffna a challenging target to chase in the fourth innings. Left-arm spinner Shashika Dulshan was once again the main wrecker for Jaffna with four wickets to go with his first innings four.

Despite Janith Liyanage’s fifth first-class hundred Jaffna fell short of Kandy’s total in the first innings. Liyanage held the Jaffna batting together with a commanding knock of 129 off 150 balls (16 fours, one six) but found little support from the other end. ST

Second day scores

• At Hambantota: Colombo 405 (o/n 287-6) (Avishka Fernando 150, Dushan Vimukthi 40, Nisala Tharaka 82, Tharindu Ratnayake 28, Kasun Rajitha 34*, Kavishka Anjula 4/67, Ramesh Mendis 3/81)

Galle 131-2 at close (Sangeeth Cooray 33, Lakshan Edirisinghe 52*, Angelo Mathews 32*)

• At SSC: Kandy 265 (Oshada Fernando 33, Sandun Weerakkody 36, Niroshan Dickwella 21, Ahan Wickramasinghe 101, Sahan Kumara 22, Binura Fernando 3/34, Ravindu Fernando 2/55, Shashika Dulshan 4/70) and 172-6 at close (Kasun Vidura 29, Thanuka Dabare 21, Oshada Fernando 27, Niroshan Dickwella 25, Ahan Wickramasinghe 51*, Shashika Dulshan 4/53)

Jaffna 245 (o/n 93-3) (Navod Paranavithana 45, Janith Liyanage 129, Lahiru Kumara 3/52, Amshi de Silva 2/60, Sahan Kumara 3/50)