National Super League L/O loses top players for today’s final

 Kandy captain Kamindu Mendis (left) and Jaffna acting captain Sadeera Samarawickrama pose before the trophy that will be handed to the winner of today’s final

• Kandy strong favourites to lift the trophy

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Today’s day-night final between Kandy and Jaffna in the National Super League Limited Overs tournament will be sans some of the top Sri Lankan players who have been called to the bubble ahead of the tour to India later this month.

Missing from today’s line up will be the inform wicket-keeper/batsman of Kandy Niroshan Dickwella and young off-spinner Ashian Daniel, Jaffna skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Lahiru Thirimanne.

Despite these losses Kandy who have been the dominant side in the tournament started the final as favourites. They have already beaten Dambulla twice in the round robin league stage and will be looking to repeat those successes.

“It is always good to win against Jaffna twice but when it comes to the final it’s a different game,” said Kandy coach Malinda Warnapura. “Pallekele is a very good batting track and both teams will have a good chance. Even in the last game we scored 300 plus and Galle made 277, that’s how the wicket plays.”

Kandy lost only one match out of eight leading to today’s final and Warnapura put it down to team effort.

“It’s very simple. It’s not about one or two players, it›s all about team effort, everyone contributes. When it comes to batting it is Dickwella, Oshada (Fernando), Kamindu Mendis and even our no. 5 Sahan Arachchige. Most of the games we have scored 270 plus and we are definitely doing well with the bat,” said Warnapura.

“When it comes to bowling Asitha (Fernando) is our main fast bowler, he is heading the bowling unit. For spin we have Lasith Embuldeniya who is a Test match bowler but we got him to Kandy and he has done really well with the white ball. There is Ashian Daniel who was with us in the original squad until he was tested positive. He came back only for the second round and the three games he played, in one he took five wickets and in the other four wickets. Then we have the highest wicket-taker Pulina Tharanga, the leg-spinner. We have an all-round side.”

Warnapura said that the spin department had improved tremendously since the return of spin bowling coach Dinuk Hettiarachchi from Malaysia where he was with the Sri Lanka Women cricketers.

“From the day he came there has been a big difference in the spin department. Pulina was just bowling his 10 overs but in the first game after Dinuk had a session with them everyone was different. Pulina got five wickets and Embuldeniya and Ashian have also improved.”

Replacing Dickwella will be Kavindu Bandara who will open the batting with Lahiru Udara while leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage comes in for Daniel.

Dambulla have an uphill task of defeating Kandy but coach Thilina Kandamby said, “We are going as underdogs so there is no pressure for us. The pressure is on them. We have some plans for tomorrow’s (Saturday) final and we will try and execute them.”

Dambulla are down to just 13 players due to national recalls and Covid, the latest victim being fast bowling all-rounder Ishan Jayaratne who was tested positive before their final league game against Colombo.

Kandamby said that he expects acting captain Sadeera Samarawickrama to score big in the final.

“I am disappointed with Sadeera because he has been getting starts in the 20s, 30s and 40s and the one match he scored we went onto win. Definitely we need a big innings from him tomorrow. Otherwise, our chances are very much less because he is the one who can score a big hundred.”

Jaffna are expected to make two changes from the team that played Colombo in their final league game with top order bat Saminda Fernando and fast bowling all-rounder Nimanda Madushanka being included in the eleven.

“The youngsters are not superstars but they are a fighting unit. They will put up a good fight tomorrow. We are mainly depending on our fast bowlers. If we can get them out cheaply, it’s the only way we can win the game,” Kandamby said.