Dambulla and Galle sauntered into the finals of the Sri Lanka Cricket National Super League 2023 in an eventful weekend. While Dambulla won over Jaffna handsomely by 133 runs in the second semi final fine edged by the all-round brilliance of Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva’s first the innings 6-wicket take and second innings cameo 95 at the P. Saravanamuththu Stadium, Kandy’s opening batsman Lasith Croospulle battled into the valiant of a magical run a ball century to forcing a draw on 299 for 5 chasing 644 though conceding defeat on the first innings at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
In that lost cause the 24-year old right hander did do himself proud in the nonchalance of stroking his way to the three figure mark within three weeks that saw the former Maris Stella College product from Negombo stamp his name for consistency.
His Sunday knock of 101 off 102 laced in 17 boundaries and a six did exemplify that strong arm of resilience fronting the batting right up.
Meanwhile, Jaffna went down fighting to Dambulla, making 331 chasing 464 for victory on another back to the wall century by 23-year old Ravindu Fernando, another product from Maris Stella College who struck 131 off 112 reeling off 7 over the top to go with 11 to the ropes at the P. Saravanamuththu Stadium.
CHIEF SCORES: Dambulla beat Jaffna by 133 runs. Dambulla 426 &,274/9 decl. (Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva 95, Pavan Rathnayake 47, Ashan Priyanjan 31, Dushan Hemantha n.o. 21, Shashika Dulshan 3/77, Binura Fernando 2/25, Jeffrey Vandersay 2/68, Janith Liyanage 1/5, Ravindu Fernando 1/25): Jaffna 236 & 331 (Ravindu Fernando 131, Navod Paranavithana 51, Ron Chandraguptha 47, Jeffrey Vandersay n.o. 35, Binura Fernando 32, Lahiru Madushanka 11, Shashika Dulshan 11, Ashan Priyanjan 3/61, Chalana de Silva 3/86, Chamindu Wijesinghe 1/26, Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva 1/31)
