Twenty year old Pavan Rathnayake struck 117 off 148 balls powered by 12 boundaries and 3 sixes as Dambulla reached a formidable 289 for 5 wickets after being put into bat by Jaffna in the second semi final of the National Super League Tournament at the P. Saravanamuththu Stadium on Thursday. Rathnayake, who made a mark as a schoolboy batsman at Mahanama College, Colombo, belied age as he went about in gay abandon collaring the Jaffna attack to giving Dambulla the initiative in the decisive encounter. He added 78 for the second wicket with Abishek Maneeshan who scored 51 off 93 inclusive of 3 hits to the ropes, and 92 for the third wicket with Sanoj Darshika who scored 47 off 128 tucked with 6.boundaries.Ashan Priyanjan was unbeaten on a sedate 30 off 85 crossing the boundary twice.
CHIEF SCORES: Dambulla 289/5 (87.4 Overs) (Pavan Rathnayake 117, Gayan Maneeshan 51, Sanoj Darshika 47, Abishek Liyanarachchi 37, Ashan Priyanjan n.o. 30, Shashika Dulshan 3/86, Eshan Malinga 2/43)
