Twenty two year old opening batsman Sohan de Livera struck an emphatic 133 off 203 balls to put Galle in a commanding position of 356 for 3 against Kandy on the opening day of the first semi-final of the Sri Lanka Cricket National Super League 2023 tournament at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. The compact left hander reeled off 12 boundaries in leading Galle’s thrust to make it to the finals. He put on 59 for the first wicket with Sangeeth Cooray who scored 27, and 91 for the second wicket with Lakshan Edirisinghe who made 49 off 89 with 6 boundaries, and 139 for the third wicket with Pasindu Sooriyabandara who was unbeaten on 95,off 168 balls inclusive of 9 boundaries after Galle won the toss and opted to take first lease.
It was Sohan de Livera’s second century in the tournament while the right-handed Pasindu Sooriyabandara, the 23-year old Royal College product and Moors S C batsman had ground his way to within five runs of the magical three figure mark.
Following De Livera’s dismissal with the score on 289, Sooriyabandara found an able ally in all-round batsman Dunith Wellalage was on 31 off 51 containing 3 boundaries in an unfinished fourth-wicket partnership of 67.
CHIEF SCORES: Galle 356/3 (90 Overs) (Sohan de Livera 133, Pasindu Sooriyabandara n.o. 95, Lakshan Edirisinghe 49, Sangeeth Cooray 27, Dunith Wellalage n.o. 31, Sachithra Perera 1/58, Amshi de Silva 1/59, Lasith Embuldeniya 1/119)