Galle, Kandy qualify to play in NSL 4-day league final

Galle and Kandy assured themselves of the top two positions to qualify for the final of the National Super League 4-day tournament. In their final league game, Kandy trounced defending champions Dambulla by 140 runs at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium to grab full points and finish second in the standings. Galle consolidated their position at the top with a first-innings win over Jaffna in a high-scoring match that ended in a draw at the R Premadasa Stadium yesterday. Dambulla, chasing a target of 385 for victory, were dismissed for 244, having resumed the fourth and final day on 128-3. The destroyers of the Dambulla innings were spinners Wanuja Sahan, Roshan Jayatissa, and Lasith Embuldeniya. Left-armer Sahan finished with figures of 4/47, Jayatissa with 4/64 of off-spin, and Embuldeniya 2/77 of left-arm spin. There was hardly any strong resistance put up by Dambulla as the spinners simply swept through their batting. The 17.955 points they gained from their win saw Kandy finish with a total of 92.584 points from eight matches, which is 34 points clear of third-placed Dambulla, who have a game in hand but have no chance of catching up even if they get full points in their final league match against Jaffna. Jaffna, replying to Galle’s massive first innings of 711-9 declared, were all out for 480 after resuming at 316-4. Half-centuries from overnight batsmen Lahiru Madushanka (83 off 171 balls, 7 fours) and Santhush Gunathilake (65 off 84 balls, 5 fours) saw them progress to their final total. Spinners Sangeeth Cooray and Suminda Lakshan shared eight wickets between them. In Galle’s second innings of 143-1, Oshada Fernando (52* off 94 balls, 3 fours) and Pasindu Sooriyabandara (51* off 70 balls, 3 fours) made fifties apiece. Sooriyabandara followed his first innings double century with a fifty. The tournament takes a break for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and will resume on 23 April. – (ST)

RESULTS: +At R Premadasa Stadium: Kandy beat Dambulla by 140 runs. Kandy 276 and 315. Dambulla 207 and 244 (o/n 128-3) (Minod Bhanuka 25, Sanoj Darshika 53, Risira Weerasuriya 30, Sonal Dinusha 32, Dushan Hemantha 29, Naveen Fernando 35, Wanuja Sahan 4/47, Roshan Jayatissa 4/64, Lasith Embuldeniya 2/77) +At Rangiri Dambulla Stadium: Match Drawn (Galle took first inns points) Galle 711-9 decl. and 143-1 (Oshada Fernando 52*, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 51*) Jaffna 480 (o/n 316-4) (Ron Chandraguptha 66, Hasitha Boyagoda 25, Nipun Karunanayake 76*, Janith Liyanage 62, Lahiru Madushanka 83, Santhush Gunathilake 65, Ravindu Fernando 48, Sangeeth Cooray 4/71, Suminda Lakshan 4/103)