Defending champs Jaffna Kings stamp authority with second successive win

The destroyers of the Dambulla Aura innings Vijayakanth Vijaskanth and Maheesh Theekshana

Defending champions Jaffna Kings stamped their authority that they meant business in the ongoing Lanka Premier League with a crushing nine-wicket victory over Dambulla Aura to record their second win in successive days at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota yesterday.

In the first double-header of the day Dambulla Aura led by national white ball captain Dasun Shanaka and coached by former Sri Lanka head coach, Mickey Arthur found themselves pushed onto the backfoot in their opening game of the tournament by a formidable Jaffna side that left nothing to chance as they steam-rolled their way to yet another resounding win.

For the first six overs of the first powerplay it seemed that Dambulla had the game under their control when they raced to 49 without loss. Kent wicket-keeper/batsman Jordan Cox set the pace with an explosive 43 off 22 balls that comprised three consecutive sixes hit off Dhananjaya de Silva. With his opening partner Shevon Daniel (19), Cox gave Dambulla the ideal platform to post a competitive total by figuring in an opening partnership of 63 off 46 balls.

But when Cox was dismissed by the young leg-spinner from Jaffna Vijayakanth Vijaskanth in the eighth over, the Dambulla innings lost its momentum. They could not maintain the pace as Jaffna came back strongly picking up wickets through clever bowling changes brought about by the captain Thisara Perera.

The Dambulla batsman got out trying to take the aerial route and score boundaries instead of trying to stitch partnerships. As a result, they lost their last nine wickets for 58 runs to end up with an underpar score of 121-9.

Spinners Vijaskanth and Maheesh Theekshana spun a web around the batsmen picking up six wickets aided by the two seamers James Fuller and Zaman Khan. So well did they bowl that the bowling skills of Player of the Match against Galle Gladiators Dunith Wellalage was never required.

Jaffna went into this game resting top batters Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (injured) and Binura Fernando which showed their bench strength.

Dambulla’s meagre score was chased down with hardly any effort by openers Sadeera Samarawickrama and Avishka Fernando who posted 118 off 93 balls. Fernando was dismissed for a well compiled 51 off 49 balls (4 fours, 1 six), but Samarawickrama playing only because of a thumb injury to Rahmanullah Gurbaz seized his chance with both hands to score a delightful 62* off 44 balls (7 fours, 1 six) and take the Player of the Match award. (ST)

Scores

Dambulla Aura: 121-9 (20) (Jordan Cox 43, Maheesh Theekshana 3/20, James Fuller 2/16, Vijayakanth Vijaskanth 3/24)

Jaffna Kings: 122-1 (15.4) (Sadeera Samarawickrama 62*, Avishka Fernando 51)