Table top clash between Galle, Kandy evenly poised

 Jaffna pair Ron Chandraguptha and Nipun Karunanayake celebrate their respective centuries against Colombo

• Jaffna go on run-spree against Colombo in NSL 4-day tournament

Pawantha Weerasinghe and Wanuja Sahan scored 56 apiece for Kandy

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The top of the table clash between Galle and Kandy was evenly poised at the end of the first day of their National Super League 4-day match at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, Hambantota yesterday.

Kandy winning the toss and batting first were dismissed for 210, but Galle in reply were also in a spot of bother losing three wickets for 53 runs by the close to trail by 157.

Half-centuries from opener Pawantha Weerasinghe (56 off 119 balls, 7 fours) and all-rounder Wanuja Sahan (56 off 64 balls, 8 fours) propelled Kandy to their final total after they were 132-6 at one stage. The Kandy batting was troubled by the seam of all-rounder Dhananjaya Lakshan and left-arm spin of Nimesh Vimukthi who took three wickets apiece. Seamer Nimsara Atharagalla sent back the two Galle openers Sangeeth Cooray and Oshada Fernando for single digit figures, and former Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya accounted for Pasindu Sooriyabandara (16) as Kandy fought back strongly.

Jaffna batsmen went on a run spree against bottom of the table Colombo piling up an impressive first day total of 305-2 at the R. Premadasa Stadium. After Test opener Nishan Madushka leading Jaffna had scored a solid 53 off 101 balls (7 fours), the rest of the day was taken up by the third wicket pair Ron Chandraguptha and Nipun Karunanayake who both made identical centuries and figured in an unfinished stand of 208.

Chandraguptha hit 12 fours in his durable knock of 118* off 245 balls and Karunanayake was more enterprising taking 177 balls for his 118* which comprised 16 fours and a six. Seamer Nisala Tharaka took the only two wickets to fall for the day.

Both matches will continue on their second day today.

FIRST DAY SCORES

• At Hambantota: Kandy 210 (Pawantha Weerasinghe 56, Kamil Mishara 21, Wanuja Sahan 56, Ashian Daniel 20*, Dhananjaya Lakshan 3/26, Nimesh Vimukthi 3/21)
• Galle 53-3 at close (Dhananjaya Lakshan 20*, Nimsara Atharagalla 2/25)
• At R. Premadasa Stadium: Jaffna 305-2 at close (Nishan Madushka 53, Ron Chandraguptha 118*, Nipun Karunanayake 118*, Nisala Tharaka 2/58) v Colombo