Galle amassed 703 for 9 wickets in playing out the fourth and final day to a tame draw in reply to Colombo’s 405 in a National Super League 2023 match that consumed only the first innings with four of Galle’s batsmen hitting centuries at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Following centuries by Lakshan Edirisinghe 129 and Angelo Matthews 105 the previous day, Pathum Kumara and Ramesh Mendis converted their respective overnight scores of 71 and 15 to 151 and 149 in a record 225-run sixth wicket partnership having come together at the fall of Dinesh Chandimal’s wicket with the score on 394 on Saturday. Kumara, the 23-year old wicket-keeper batsman fell with the score on 619 as Galle opted to bat on the final day with 27-year old Mendis being the ninth out with the score 690 as Colombo’s bowlers took a heavy toll.
Pathum Kumara hit 12 boundaries in his 262-ball knock while Ramesh Mendis’ contained 13 boundaries and a six in his 256-ball innings.
CHIEF SCORES: Colombo 405 (Avishka Fernando 150) Galle 703/9 (201 Overs) (Pathum Kumara 151, Ramesh Mendis 149, Lakshan Edirisinghe 129, Angelo Matthews 105, Dinesh Chandimal 63, Kavishka Anjula 17, Mohammad Shiraz n.o. 12, Udith Madushan 2/93, Dushan Vimukthi 2/122, Nisala Tharaka 2/82, Prabath Jayasuriya 1/142, Tharindu Ratnayake 1/201)
