Valiant century by Randika as Dambulla fall short by 57

Wednesday, 30 April 2025 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Vishad Randika alone stood tall for Dambulla with second

consecutive century

Galle pacie Nimsara Atharagalla celebrates taking

five-wicket haul

Galle leads overall by 196 going into final day today
4th National Super League final

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

As long as Galle doesn’t do anything impulsive to let Dambulla back into the game the champions are on track to retain the National Super League 4-day title they won last year ending the penultimate day with an overall lead of 196 with 6 second innings wickets in hand at the SSC grounds yesterday.

Galle utilised 44 of the 52 overs that remained for the day to stretch their first innings lead of 57. All they need now is to bat out their second innings entirely and draw the game which would eventually make them winners in the first innings which is sufficient to give them the title.

Dambulla on the other hand needs to pick up early wickets in the morning session to have any chance of making a comeback to the game after conceding a first innings lead.

Vishad Randika staged a single-handed counter attack on the Galle bowlers scoring his second successive century but ran out of partners and eventually was the last man out for a resolute 124 leaving Dambulla 57 short of overhauling Galle’s first innings score of 370.

Dambulla who began the day at 154-5 had a fight on their hands to surpass Galle’s total but apart from Randika no other batsmen made any worthwhile contribution from the lower order.

Chamindu Wijesinghe (28) helped Randika add 80 for the sixth wicket, but Nimsara Atharagalla had him caught to claim his fifth wicket of the innings, after that there wasn’t much resistance forthcoming.

Leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth sent back Inuka Karannagoda and Akila Dananjaya for single digit figures claiming their wickets off successive overs, and then ran out Mohamed Shiraz for 11 to make Dambulla 307-9.

With 63 runs still needed the task proved beyond Randika who fell to Dunith Wellalage for a persevering knock of 124 off 186 balls (15 fours, 3 sixes).

Dinesh Chandimal followed his first innings knock of 80 with another half-century (54* off 97 balls, 4 fours) as Galle ended the day on 139-4. Pacie Mohamed Shiraz was again amongst the wickets picking up 2/17 in 11 impressive overs.

Scores:

n Galle 370 and 139-4 at close (Dinesh Chandimal 54*, Nipun Dananjaya 22, Mohamed Shiraz 2/17)

n Dambulla 313 (o/n 154-5) (Ron Chandraguptha 65, Sammu Ashan 35, Vishad Randika 124, Chamindu Wijesinghe 28, Nimsara Atharagalla 5/101, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 2/28)

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