High scoring on opening day of National Super League 4-day tourney

Lahiru Udara (Kandy)

Lasith Croospulle (Kandy)

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The two finalists of the National Super League Limited Overs Tournament Jaffna and Kandy came up with powerful batting performances on the opening day of the National Super League 4-day Tournament yesterday.

Jaffna, the Limited Overs champions took on Colombo at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium at Hambantota and ran up a total of 311 for four wickets by the close with one drop batsman Saminda Fernando scoring a career best 141.

Fernando hit 16 fours and a six in his 241-ball knock and was involved in two fruitful partnerships of 157 for the second wicket with Navod Paranavithana (77 off 171 balls, eight fours) and 115 for the third wicket with skipper Sadeera Samarawickrama, who was dismissed in the penultimate over of the day for 58 (87 balls, seven fours).

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya and right-arm seamer Lahiru Madushanka were Colombo’s most successful bowlers with two wickets apiece.

In the other match that commenced at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, Kandy hit up an imposing first day total of 373-4 against Galle with three of their batsmen getting into the nineties. Openers Lahiru Udara and Lasith Croospulle both missed out on their hundreds when they put on 169 to lay the foundation for a big first innings total.

Croospulle, the more enterprising of the two, struck 10 fours and two sixes in his innings of 93 off 107 balls. Udara was more circumspect scoring 92 off 126 balls that included 16 fours.

Kandy captain Kamindu Mendis was the third batsman to reach the nineties ending the day on 90* off 138 balls (11 fours) having added 121 for the fourth wicket with Kasun Vidura who was dismissed in the final over for a patient 58 off 109 balls (five fours).  

Off-spinner Chanaka Ruwansiri who trapped Vidura lbw off the penultimate ball of the day ended with figures of two for 75.

The Galle team captained by all-rounder Dhananjaya Lakshan unsuccessfully used eight bowlers trying to curb Kandy’s run flow.

Both matches continue today on the second day.

First day scores:

At Hambantota: Jaffna 311-4 (90) at close (Navod Paranavithana 77, Saminda Fernando 141, Sadeera Samarawickrama 58, Lahiru Madushanka 2/47, Prabath Jayasuriya 2/89) v Colombo.

At Galle: Kandy 373-4 (89.5) at close (Lahiru Udara 92, Lasith Croospulle 93, Oshada Fernando 35, Kamindu Mendis 90*, Kasun Vidura 58, Chanaka Ruwansiri 2/75) v Galle.