By Srian Obeyesekere
Alex Hales batted Galle Marvels to an emphatic 8-wicket win over Kandy Falcons by a marvelous unbeaten cameo 86 off 55 balls in a 188 for 2 chase from 19.2 overs yesterday in the 14th match of the 2024 Lanka Premier League at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.
Hales great knock cascaded in 4 sixes and 7 boundaries in a perfectly harmonizing 76 for the first-wicket together with skipper Niroshan Dickwella 25 off 22 inclusive of 2 boundaries and a six. Tim Seifert joined Hales in a second wicket 31-partnership after Dickwella was caught and bowled by his opposite number Wanindu Hasaranga as Galle reached 107 after 11.3 when Seifert was dismissed for 16 by Andre Fletcher who had him caught by Kamindu Mends for 16 off 13 with a six and boundary each.
The icing on the cake to the victory was provided by Bhanuka Rajapaksa who at long last lived up to his explosive pinch-hitting reputation plundering 46 off 26 with 5 boundaries and 2 sixes in an unfinished third-wicket 81-run alliance off 48 balls.
Kandy Falcons 187 for 9 off 20 stop-started following a flying start of 54 in 4.2 powerplay overs by Andre Fletcher who top scored with 69 off 43 hitting 6 boundaries and 4 sixes and Dinesh Chandimal 32 off 14 who pounded 3 over the top and two across. They collapsed to 84 for 3 in 8.1 overs on a day the Falcons skipper Wanindu Hasaranga had a bad day bowled by Prabath Jayasuriya for a first ball duck as his side reached to 148 for 7 after 15.1 overs in a phase when only Angelo Mathews 29 off 15 (2×4, 2×6) and Ramesh Mendis 28 off 14 (2×4, 2×6) reached double figures as 4 wickets fell down the line including Dasun Shanaka 4 for just 13 runs between them. Prabath Jayasuriya was adjudged Player of the Match for his 3 wickets for 30.
CHIEF SCORES:
Kandy Falcons 187/9 (20 Overs)
(Andre Fletcher 69, Dinesh Chandimal 32, Angelo Mathews 29, Ramesh Mendis 28, Prabath Jayasuriya 3/30, Dwaine Pretorius 2/37, Kavindu Nadeeshan 1/34, Maheesh Theekshana 1/41, Isuru Udana 1/43)
Galle Marvels 188/2 (19.2 Overs)
(Alex Hales n.o. 86, Niroshan Dickwella 25, Tim Seifert 16, Bhanuka Rajapaksa n.o. 46, Andre Fletcher 1/11, Wanindu Hasaranga 1/29)
