By Srian Obeyesekere

In a shot for shot high scoring contest, Kandy Falcons chased down Dambulla Sixers 179 for 4 wickets off 20 overs reaching 183 for 4 off 17.2 overs to draw first blood in a much-hyped showdown in Sri Lanka Cricket’s Lanka Premier League inaugural game yesterday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Dasun Shanaka, a cameo 46 off 15 balls inclusive of 5 over the top and 3 boundaries, and Angelo Mathews 37 off 20 with 5 boundaries and a six maximising the new super blast two overs in a whirlwind 72-run fifth-wicket alliance was to negate Dambulla’s gung-ho of New  Zealander, Mark Chapman 91 off 61 striking 4 over the top and 8 boundaries and Chamindu Wickramasinghe an unbeaten 62 off 42 hitting 3 sixes and 4 boundaries.  Their all-left-hand unbeaten 154 fifth-wicket effort off 95 balls was tremendous having come together with Dambulla tottering on 4 down for 25 in the space of five overs after being put into bat.

That the Shanaka-Mathews reveling was to cast Dambulla’s firecracker works of Chapman and Wickramasinghe was final countdown derring-do to making the difference in the fireworks batting display by the two sides.

The day overly belonged to Dasun Shanaka’s trumped-up all-round effort on his 3 for 20 to the Player of the Match spoils.

CHIEF SCORES:

Dambulla Sixers 179/4 (20 Overs (Mark Chapman n.o. 91, Chamindu Wickramasinghe n.o. 62, Dasun Shanaka 3/20, Mohammed Hasnain 1/53)

 Kandy Falcons 183/4 (17.2 Overs)

(Dinesh Chandimal 65, Angelo Mathews n.o. 37, Dasun Shanaka n.o. 46, Kamindu Mendis 27, Akila Dhananjaya 1/29, Chamindu Wickramasinghe 1/3, Nuwan Thushara 1/35, Mustafizur Rahman 1/44)