By Srian Obeyesekere

Kusal Janith Perera struck 80 off 50 balls powered by 4 sixes and 8 boundaries and Reeza Hendricks 54 off 39 with 3 over the top and 4 boundaries in a rollicking 154 first-wicket bonding in taking Dambulla Sixers to an emphatic 8-wicket triumph over Colombo Strikers with 13 balls to spare in the 10th LPL fixture yesterday at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.

Colombo Strikers scored 185 for 6 off 20 overs on Glenn Phillips top score of 52 off 36 (3×6, 1×4) following 73 for the first wicket off 8.3 overs by Angelo Perera 41 off 27 (6×4, 1×6) and Rhmanullah Gurbaz 36 off 28 (4×4, 1×6). But Colombo lost three quick wickets that of Sadeera Samarawickrama for 4 caught by Igalagamage off Mohammad Nabi, Shadab Khan too in similar fashion off Nabi while Nuwan Pradee accounted for Colombo Strikers skipper Thisara Perera for 7 who holed out to Nabi. Chamika Karunaratne then struck a cameo unbeaten 27 off 12 with 2 sixes and boundaries apiece in posting 59 for the sixth-wicket off 25 with Phillips whose innings came to an end in the penaultimate ball of the last over claimed by Nuwan Pradeep who had him caught by Hemantha.

CHIEF SCORES:

Colombo Strikers 185/6 (20 Overs)

Glenn Phillips 52, Angelo Perera 41, Rhmanullah Gurbaz 36, Chamika Karunaratne n.o. 27, Mohammad Nabi 2/20, Nuwan Pradeep 2/41, Dushan Hemantha 1/22)

Dambulla Sixers 188/2 (17.5 Overs)

(Kusal Janith Perera 80, Reeza Hendricks 54, Mark Chapman n.o. 23, Lahiru Udara n.o. 11, Taskin Ahmed 2/45)