Jaffna were 354 for 7 wickets in reply to Dambulla’s first innings total of 283 at stumps on the third day’s play of the Sri Lanka Cricket National Super League Tournament four-day fixture at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Saturday. (2) Getting into the run making act were Nishan Madushanka and Janith Liyanage who stroked 69 each with Samida Fernando scoring 52.
Jaffna’s innings was given the impetus upfront by the second-wicket pair of Samida Fernando and Avishka Tharindu who made 40 in putting on exactly 100 runs off 186 balls. The sixth-wicket pair of Tharindu and Janith Liyanage then further consolidated on that sound foundation by adding 86 off 118 deliveries. The total also revolved around useful contributors from Navod Paranavithana and Geeth Kumar who chipped in with 26 apiece and Dhananjaya de Silva who made 25.
Madushka’s half ton off 141 balls contained 4 boundaries while Liyanage’s 148-ball innings comprised 8 hits to the ropes. Samida Fernando struck 3 fours and a six in his 169-ball knock.
Dambulla’s wicket taker was spin prodigy Malinda Pushpakumara who took 4 for 121.
CHIEF SCORES: Dambulla 1st I innings 283 (Lasith Abeyratne 68, Dushan Hemantha 63, Minod Bhanuka 53, Nuwan Pradeep 7/52) Jaffna 354/7 (Nishan Madushka 69, Janith Liyanage 69, Samida Fernando 52, Avishka Tharindu 40, Geeth Kumar 26, Navod Paranavithana 26, Dhananjaya de Silva 25, Malinda Pushpakumara 4/121, Malinga Amarasinghe 1/12).