By Srian Obeyesekere
Ramesh Mendis struck a brilliant 124 having taken strike in the lower order No.8 slot to lifting Galle from a shaky 169 for 6 wickets to 371 in reply to Jaffna’s first innings 305 on the third day of the Sri Lanka Cricket National Super League Tournament match played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Having put on 92 for the 7th wicket with Dunith Wellalage who scored 68 on the second day, Mendis got to 124 batting with the last three Dilum Sudeera 4, Nimasara Atharagalla 7 and Udith Madushan 5 not out whose contribution was 16 in collaring the Jaffna attack in a 203-ball watchful innings hitting 7 boundaries.
Jaffna made a forceful 135 for 2 second innings comeback to erase the 65 deficit with opening batsman Shevon Daniel unbeaten on 65 hitting 5 boundaries and 2 sixes for back to back half centuries in a continuation of his fin form in the tournament thus far. With him was Tharaka Dabare on 44 off 42 laced with 3 over the top and 2 across.
Meanwhile, Dambulla and Sri Lanka test captain Dhananjaya de Silva struck 108 off 152 balls slamming 11 boundaries and a six in reaching the three figure mark for the third consecutive week in a total of 340 with Dasun Shanaka weighing in with a forceful unbeaten 63 off 67 with 7 fours and a six against Kandy which yet enjoyed a 113 first innings lead which they further consolidated to an overall 303 lead reaching 190 for 5 in the second innings with Pawantha Weerasinghe leading the way with 74 off 132 with 5 boundaries and a six followed by Sohan de Livera 32, Janishka Perera 27 and Ravindu Fernando 24 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
Dambulla’s Akila Dananjaya was again among the wickets accounting for 4 of the 5 at a cost of 73 runs to go with his first innings 5-wicket haul.
Chief Scores:
Kandy vs Dambulla
Kandy 453 (Pathum Nissanka 202, Sohan de Livera 142, Ravindu Fernando 37, Pavantha Weerasibghe 20, Akila Dananjaya 5/140, Chamindu Wickramasnghe 3/59, Dinura Kalupahana 2/64)
And 190/5 (53 Overs)
(Pawantha Weerasinghe 74, Sohan de Livera 32, Janishka Perera 27, Ravindu Fernando 24, Akila Dananjaya 4/73, Dinura Kalupahana 1/17)
Dambulla 340 (84.4 Overs)
(Dhananjaya de Silva 108, Dasun Shanaka n.o. 63, Vishad Randika 40, Sahan Kosala 34, Nishan Madushka 31, Lasith Ebuldeniya 14, Shiran Fernando 3/42, Ashian Daniel 4/109, Lahiru Kumara 1/57, Sahan Nanayakkara 2/125)
Jaffna vs Galle
Jaffna 305 (69.1 Overs)
(Thanuja Dabare 81, Shevon Daniel 56, Janith Liyanage 28, Nimesh Vimukthi 16, Dilum Sudeera 5/60)
Nisala Tharaka 1/20, Ramesh Mendis 1/22)
And 135/2 (22 Overs)
(Shevon Daniel n.o. 65, Thanuka Dabare n.o. 44)
Galle 371 (98 Overs)
(Ramesh Mendis 124, Dunith Wellalage 68, Oshada Fernando 67, Dinesh Chandimal 40, Nipun Dhananjaya 14, Sithum Dissanayake 3/57, Asanka Manoj 3/59, Nimesh Vimukthi 2/65, Chamika Karunaratne 2/100)
