Galle Marvels-Kandy Bolts evenly matched

By Srian Obeyesekere
The Lanka 10 Super League has galloped like a flyer to top of the table favourites Jaffna Titans taking on Hambantota’s Bangla Tigers today in the qualifier one where Hambantota will have to be at their best to overcome a power packed outfit which enjoys the advantage on its strong batting line up in the crunch contest at Kandy’s Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium.

The other qualifier sees a fairly evenly matched Galle Marvels take on Kandy Bolts.

Certainly Jaffna Titans domination to pocketing five games on the trl0ot has been their powerful batting line up that runs deep in Sri Lanka stars Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka who have been a towering influence as well as the English duo of Tom Kohler Cadmore who had the distinction of hitting the only hundred in the tournament, and Tom Abell in a pack running deep down. It is the all-round depth that has set the Titans a team apart by a highly compatible bowling attack.

Special mention must be made of 20-year old Traveen Mathew just out from the schoolboy freshness to making his presence count in a big way by two telling 4-wicket and 3-wicket hauls, the last of which were extraordinary clean bowling bulls eye feats of Sri Lankan star batsmen Kamindu Mendis and Angelo Mathews as well as Najibullah Zadran.

Hambantota’s Bangla Tigers too carry an even batting nucleus in the back in topping form former Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka having been the leader in the pack going by some scorching knocks while Mohammed Shahzad has a blinding 52 off 18 reputation to the table Of course, Kusal Janith Perera will need to rediscover the form he is reputed of to make it count for Hambantota.