In a battle of wits in similar situations from the dumps that pitted Galle Gladiators fifth wicket pair of Thanuka Dabare 70 and Nuwanidu Fernando 56 and Kandy Falcons seventh wicket pair of Ashen Bandara unbeaten 41 and Chamika Karunaratne 32 in an ultimate combat for supremacy, the Gladiators won the battle by 12 runs in the ninth encounter of the Lanka Premier League 2022. The ultimate batting out to the Player of the Match hero was the Galle Gladiators Thanuka Dabare, a 23-year old with hardly any big stage credentials striving to make an impact to that big dream fronted by some terrific stroke play tucked into by 6 boundaries and two over the top. Indeed, the former product from Lumbini College and Ace Capital could not have had it better in translating the gloom of 4 for 10 to victory. That the Falcons hero of a day ago the 31-year old Karunaratne lost out on a repeat performance of his characteristic dare devil flair of carrying the fight to the opposition as he did against Jaffna Kings by this time by the quirk of fate of running himself out going for a second run ended the Falcons run charge. In that contrasting trysts, the twosome of Thanuka Dabare and Nuwanidu Fernando coming together in gladiator style to lift Galle Gladiators from period to victory over Kandy Falcons by 12 runs enriched by a 113-run partnership for the fifth wicket was handsome stuff.

The Falcons frontline gall came in the form of Ashen Bandara’s back to the wall unbeaten 41 in a follow up of of his 44 in the previous game that was a pay off.

CHIEF SCORES: Galle Gladiators 155/6 (Thanuka Dabare 70, Nuwanidu Fernando 56, Imad Wasim n.o. 15, Carlos Braithwaite 3/17, Isuru Udana 2/19) Dambulla Falcons 141/7 (20 Overs) (Ashan Bandara n o. 41, Chamika Karunaratne 32, Pathum Nissanka 29, Lakshan Sandakan 2/22, Nuwan Thushara 2/26)