Galle spinners strangle champs Jaffna to defeat

Galle Gladiators skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa slams a six during his innings of 56

Samit Patel came up with a fine all-round performance for Galle Gladiators scoring 42 and taking three wickets to take Player of the Match award

Galle Gladiators gained sweet revenge for their defeat in the final of last year’s Lanka Premier League (LPL) when they beat defending champions Jaffna Kings by 54 runs in the curtain-raiser of the 2021 LPL at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Jaffna’s strong batting was strangled by left-arm spinners Samith Patel (3/21) and Noor Ahmed (1/25), the off-breaks of Mohammad Hafeez (2/11) and the leg-spin of Pulina Tharanga (2/13) as they crumbled to 110 in reply to Galle’s total of 164-7.

Jaffna were never able to build up any productive partnerships as they lost wickets regularly with the pressure on the asking rate building up all the time.

Galle’s innings was constructed on two useful contributions from skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa and seasoned campaigner Samit Patel. Rajapaksa continuing his good form from the T10 in Abu Dhabi scored the first 50 of the LPL2 tournament with a free-flowing 56 off 31 balls inclusive of 3 sixes and 6 fours.

Patel took over the role of aggressor from Rajapaksa and thumped 42 off 31 balls (6 fours) before falling to a brilliant diving catch in the deep by Wanindu Hasaranga off Jayden Seales who also had the wicket of Isuru Udana also caught by Hasaranga. Seales finished with three wickets conceding only four runs in the final over. Hasaranga, the leading T20I bowler took two wickets for 30 which included his 100th T20 wicket when he dismissed Ben Dunk for 17.

The match marked the return of two Sri Lankan batsmen Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis to competitive cricket after their domestic ban was lifted by Sri Lanka Cricket but are currently serving a one-year ban from international cricket for violating health protocols during the tour of England early this year.

Gunathilaka crashed the first ball he faced since his return to the boundary for four, but didn’t last long skying the fourth ball to Jaffna skipper Thisara Perera who took a fine catch running backwards to dismiss him for eight. Mendis made 16 off 12 balls before top-edging a catch to the wicket-keeper off Seales.

Patel was named Man of the Match. (ST)

Scores

Galle Gladiators 164-7 (20) (Bhanuka Rajapaksa 56, Samit Patel 42, Jayden Seales 3/23, Wanindu Hasaranga 2/30)

Jaffna Kings 110 (18.4) (Wahab Riaz 27, Mohammad Hafeez 2/11, Samit Patel 3/21, Pulina Tharanga 2/13)