Galle retain title as rain has final say

NSL 4-day champions Galle 

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Galle captained by National Test Cricketer Ramesh Mendis retained the National Super League 4-day title for another year when they won the 4-day final against Dambulla on the first innings at the SSC grounds yesterday.

The match ended in a draw with Galle batting out the first two sessions of the fourth and final day carrying their second innings total to 246-5 before rain drove the players for an early tea and subsequently terminated the match. Galle scored 370 in their first innings and dismissed Dambulla for 313 to gain a 57-run lead in the first innings.

Last year Galle beat Kandy by 7 wickets to win the title.

Resuming at 139-4 Galle lost the wicket of Dinesh Chandimal for 64 (138 balls, 5 fours), but Dunith Wellalage and Ramesh Mendis came together in an unbroken stand of 84 with each of them scoring a fifty. Wellalage scored 59* off 139 balls (4 fours, 1 six) and Mendis 50* off 84 balls (4 fours).

One of the key factors in Galle’s win was that they managed to tackle the spin of the tournament’s leading wicket-taker Akila Dananjaya successfully allowing him just two wickets in the entire match whilst taking 190 runs off his bowling.

“That is one of the major reasons. We planned not to give him any wickets,” said Galle Head Coach Darshana Gamage. “A lot of senior players contributed especially Dinesh Chandimal who helped the juniors because Akila can bowl a whole variety of spin and he has been consistent in his performances on any wicket. We didn’t try to dominate him but we took our chances against the rest of the bowlers.”

“We lost the toss and on a green top, the knocks of Chandimal and Oshada Fernando in the first innings proved invaluable. There was a lot of movement and some balls reared off a good length. They handled the pressure very well. It was their partnership that enabled us to get to 370. A score of around 350 on this wicket is generally regarded as a winning one. I would say that partnership was the turning point of the match. Chandimal used his experience to get two fifties in the match. We wanted to bat him at 4 but he took on the responsibility of batting at 3 and came up with two crucial knocks that enabled us to win the title.”

For Gamage, a former Sri Lanka fast bowler in the white ball format this was only the second time he’s won a title as Head Coach with Galle, the previous one being in T20 cricket three years ago. He is the fast bowling coach of the Sri Lanka national team and has handled other NSL sides like Jaffna and Colombo as well. He was bowling coach when B-Love Kandy won the LPL in 2023. 

As champions Galle collected a cheque of Rs. 5 million plus the President’s trophy while Dambulla led by national Test Captain Dhananjaya de Silva were awarded Rs. 3 million. Chandimal received the Player of the Final award of Rs. 750,000 scoring twin fifties in the match. Akila Dananjaya of Dambulla with 37 wickets (avg. 25.37) won the Player of the Tournament (Rs. 1.5 million) and the Best Bowler’s (Rs. 1 million) awards. The Best Batsman’s award of Rs. 1 million was won by Ravindu Rasantha of Jaffna (563 runs, avg. 93.83). 

The awards were distributed by Tournament Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Bandula Dissanayake, Tournament Committee chairman Nalin Aponso and Umpires Committee chairman Samantha Dodanwela.

Scores: Galle 370 and 246-5 (o/n 139-4) (Dinesh Chandimal 64, Nipun Dananjaya 22, Dunith Wellalage 59*, Ramesh Mendis 50*, Mohamed Shiraz 2/35)

Dambulla 313.

Galle Captain Ramesh Mendis with President’s trophy

Player of the Tournament and Best Bowler Akila Dananjaya (Dambulla)