By Srian Obeyesekere

Kandy were 224 for 6 wickets and struggling to save their match against Dambulla which still enjoyed a 227 first innings lead on their massive 451 on the penultimate day of their NSL Super League match at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Vinuka Rubasinghe 70, Pawantha Weerasinghe 60 and skipper Sahan Arachchige 58 offered strong resistance but Kandy yet found the mountainous score before them dwarfing.

The side had a semblance of hope still left in by the presence of the stoic batter Ashen Bandara on 11 and with him all-round prodigy Wanuja Sahan on 13.

Dambulla owed their strong position to the batting heroics of centurions Anjana Bandara who scored 128 and Vishad Randika 104 as well ss Kavindu Pathiratne 78.

Chief scores:

Dambulla 451 (Vishad Randika 104, Anjana Bandara 128 , Kavindu Pathiratne 78 ,Dinura Kalupahana 2/86, Ravindu Fernando 3/76 , Jeffrey Vandersay 3/53)

Kandy 224 for 6 wickets at close (Pawantha Weerasinghe 60, Vinuka Rubasinghe 70, Sahan Arachchige 58, Ashen Bandara 11, Wanuja Sahan 13, Kavindu Pathiratne 2/45, Nisala Abeyratne 2/70)