By Srian Obeyesekere
Galle Marvels romped to their second win defeating Colombo Strikers by 7 runs on the Player of the Match feat by all-rounder Isuru Udana who lashed 52 off 34 balls and claimed 2 wickets for 34 in defending 179 off 20 overs with Colombo contained to 172 for 9 off 20 in the fifth fixture of the LPL at the PallekelleInternational Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Put in to bat, Galle Marvels skipper Niroshan Dickwella belted 50 off 18 inclusive of 6 boundaries and 3 sixes in a rousing 71-run start together with Alex Hales run aball 14 off 5.2 overs of the powerplay. But they collapsed to 5 for 86 and 94 for 6 before the fury of Pakistan pacer Shadab Khan who removed Dickwella, Tim Seifert 12, Janith Liyanage 2 and Dwaine Pretoris 5 in a 4 for 21 grab with local pacer Binura Fernando cashing in with 3 for 22.
But Isuru Udana and Sahan Arachchige 35 off 27 (4×4, 1×6) stood between in a face-saving seventh-wicket 79 off 51 balls.
Colombo Strikers came apart before the three-pronged attack of Maheesh Theekshana 2 for 20, Sahan Arachchige 2 for 21 and Isuru Udana 2 for 34 with only No.8 Dunith Wellalage making a substantial 45 off 26 with 5 boundaries and 2 sixes.
CHIEF SCORES:
Galle Marvels 179 (20 Overs)
(Niroshan Dickwella 50, Isuru Udana 52, Sahan Arachchige 35, Tim Seifert 12, Alex Hales 14, Shadab Khan 4/21, Binura Fernando 3/22, Matheesha Pathirana 1/37)
Colombo Strikers 172/9 (20 Overs)
(Dunith Wellalage 45, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 29, Glenn Phillips 26, Thisara Perera 18, Muhammad Waseem 16, Sadeera Samarawickrama 16, Chamika Karunaratne 12, Maheesh Theekshana 2/20, Sahan Arachchige 2/21, Isuru Udana 2/34, Zahoor Khan 1/32)