Dickwella reminds selectors of his white ball capabilities

SLC Skyexch Invitational T20 League

Niroshan Dickwella made a statement to the national selectors that he is not essentially only a Test player but also good enough for white ball cricket when he carried his bat out for 76 off 56 balls (8 fours) in a display of controlled aggression to see SLC Greens beat SLC Reds by eight runs in the first double header match of the SLC Skyexch Invitational T20 League at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Greens scored 50 off the last five overs with Dickwella contributing 22 of them including 14 off the final over bowled by Asitha Fernando who was again amongst the wickets with 2 for 32. Greens ended up with a testing total of 161-6 and Reds taking up the challenge posted 61 off nine overs for the first wicket between Lasith Croospulle (31) and Kusal Mendis (30). Bhanuka Rajapaksa (34) and Kamindu Mendis (24) carried the total to 123. But when Reds lost the key wickets of Kamindu Mendis, Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga in nine balls for seven runs, they found themselves having to score 31 off the last 10, a task that eventually proved beyond their capabilities as they fell short by nine runs. Ramesh Mendis caused the middle-order slide by getting rid of Kamindu Mendis and bowling a tight spell where his four overs cost 22 runs.  

SLC Blues led by Charith Asalanka secured their second successive win of the league but almost made a meal of it losing six wickets to get there beating SLC Greys by four wickets in the night match. Milan Ratnayake struck twice in his initial spell getting the wickets of Lahiru Udara (16) and Asalanka (29) and came back to capture a third in an impressive display of fast bowling but there was no denying Blues the win as Greys total of 115-9 hardly posed a threat.

Greys batting first collapsed from 60-1 in eight overs losing eight for 55 in the next 12 to the pace and spin of Chamika Karunaratne and Praveen Jayawickrama who between them took five wickets for 35 runs in seven overs. Greys were not helped by poor running between the wickets either.

Results

+SLC Greens beat SLC Reds by eight runs.

SLC Greens 161-6 (20) (Niroshan Dickwella 76*, Dasun Shanaka 21, Asitha Fernando 2/21)

SLC Reds 153-5 (20) (Lasith Croospulle 31, Kusal Mendis 30, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 34, Kamindu Mendis 24)

+SLC Blues beat SLC Greys by four wickets.

SLC Greys 115-9 (20) (Thanuka Dabare 33, Sangeeth Cooray 21, Chamika Karunaratne 2/21, Praveen Jayawickrama 3/13)

SLC Blues 119-6 (18.3) (Charith Asalanka 29, Ashen Bandara 27*, Milan Ratnayake 3/20)