Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
Thursday, 9 April 2026 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Dambulla and Colombo were locked in battle for a first innings lead in their National Super League 4-day match at the R Premadasa Stadium yesterday.
Colombo ended day three of the contest brought forward by bad light at 366-8 to trail Dambulla by 42 runs with two wickets in hand. The game seems destined for a draw and a first innings win is what either team is looking for going into the fourth and final day today.
How far Colombo can go rests on the shoulders of Sri Lanka ODI skipper Charith Asalanka who is unbeaten on 52 (126 balls, 2 fours, 1 six). He has the two tailenders Kasun Rajitha and Chamod Battage to make the most of it and see Colombo through.
Colombo began the third day at 153-2 in reply to Dambulla’s first innings of 408. Dhananjaya Lakshan (53 off 80 balls, 5 fours) and night-watchman Prabath Jayasuriya (54 off 95 balls, 7 fours) carried their overnight partnership to worth 70 before being separated. Jayasuriya, displaying his batting skills added a further 58 runs with Janith Liyanage (47) to take Colombo to a position of strength at 308-4. But seamer Kavindu Pathiratne snapped up the wickets of Liyanage and Ranesh Silva while the score rose by only eight runs. A further two wickets fell cheaply and Dambulla were back in the game.
The match between defending champions Galle and Kandy was heading for a close finish at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium. Having gained the crucial first innings lead – of 51 runs Galle were struggling at 206-8 in their second innings by the close. They lead overall by 257 runs with two wickets in hand and a day’s play left.
Kandy resuming at 199-7 managed to add just 10 runs to their remaining wickets to be all out for 209. A lot depended on Chamika Karunaratne but he was dismissed without adding to his overnight score of 34. The tail didn’t last long as fast bowler Isitha Wijesundara had a hand in the remaining two wickets. He had Jeffrey Vandersay caught behind and then ran out last man Dulaj Samuditha. Wijesundara finished with five wickets for 56. Galle got off to a bad start losing half the side for 66 before Sadeera Samarawickrama (76 off 149 balls, 6 fours) and Oshada Fernando (55 off 104 balls, 6 fours) batting down the order restored some stability to the batting with half-centuries apiece. But following their dismissals Kandy gained a foothold in the match.
DAY THREE SCORES
At R Premadasa Stadium: Dambulla 408; Colombo 366-8 at close (Ravindu Rasantha 69, Tharindu Amarasinghe 52, Dhananjaya Lakshan 53, Prabath Jayasuriya 54, Janith Liyanage 47, Charith Asalanka 52*, Kavindu Pathiratne 2/62, Akila Dananjaya 2/83, Shakthi Udara 3/93)
At Rangiri Dambulla Stadium: Galle 260 and 206-8 at close (Sadeera Samarawickrama 76, Oshada Fernando 55, Chamika Karunaratne 2/12, Dulaj Samuditha 2/35, Jeffrey Vandersay 2/45)
Kandy 209 (o/n 199-7) (Sammu Ashan 52, Ashen Bandara 28, Sohan de Livera 20, Chamika Karunaratne 34, Isitha Wijesundara 5/56, Asanka Manoj 2/47)
