LANKA T10 SUPER LEAGUE FINAL
By Srian Obeyesekere
Former England pacer Richard Gleeson broke the back of Jaffna Titans batting dismissing both openers Tom Kohler Cadmore 10 and Kusal Mendis 11 cheaply with Isuru Udana removing Charith Asalanka for 1 in Hambantota Bangla Tigers surprising tournament favourites Jaffna Titans by 26 runs in the inaugural Lanka T10 Super League to crowning themselves champions of the inaugural Lanka T10 Super League in yesterday’s final at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium.with skipper Dasun Shanaka’s match turning 21 off 10 smashing 2 sixes and a boundary in eemerging from cold storage of losing his Sri Lanka place to reigning mightily to carrying both to the Player of the Final and Tournament.
He rounded it off with 2 wickets for 4 in an ovet.
Of course, it was the 37-year old Gleeson with a fairytale reputation of a late International debut 3 wicket grab of Indian super batsmen Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, who in a like repeat act, put Hambantota in the box seat.
Driving it home was skipper Dasun Shanaka batting his side through o from a wobbly 59 for 3 by a compelling 44 fourth wicket bonding off 21 together with Shevon Daniel who was joint top scorer with 26 off 15: with 3 boundaries and a six to q handsome score of 133 for 7 wickets off 10 overs. Mohammad Shahzad was the other smashing 26 off 11 with 2 sixes and similar number of boundaries.
after being put in to bat to restricting the Titans to 107 for 6 in 10 overs yesterday at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium.
The Daniel-Shanska alliance lifted Hambantota from a shaky 59 for 3 after being put in to bat when Jaffna Titans threatened to making it.
Shanaka reigned supreme leading from the front in announcing himself back into the big show reckoning silencing critics since losing his way out of the national team for quite some time.
Tom Abell stood tall resisting to the end carrying his bat for a brilliant 54 off 27 going over the top thrice and a boundary.
.
Opener Shahzad proved their upfront ace in the pack striking 26 off 11 in adding 35 in 4.2 overs together with 11 Kusal Janith Perera 9 before three wickets fell quickly.
.
