National Super League: Galle crush Dambulla to record first win

By M. Shamil Amit

Galle crushed Dambulla by 145 runs in the four-day National Super League cricket tournament encounter concluded at the Galle Stadium yesterday to record their first outright win.
Galle were sitting pretty at the end of the third day’s play as they had Dambulla chasing a target of 251 runs, reeling on 27 for 6. The final day’s play saw the Galle left-arm spin pair Dunith Wellalage, who ended with a six-wicket haul, and Dilum Sudeera, bagging four, combine to bundle them out for 106 runs.
Colombo put in stiff resistance in the final day’s play against Kandy in another match of the same tournament played at the Sooriyawewa Stadium, as Kandy had to be satisfied with a first-inning win.

Results:
At Galle – Galle won by 145 runs
Galle 267 (Oshada Fernando 100, Dinesh Chandimal 73, Avishka Perera 29, Sadeera Samarawickrama 19; Akila Dhananjaya 7/88, Asitha Fernando 2/37) and 244 (Ramesh Mendis 56, Dunith Wellalage 46, Oshada Fernando 44, Nipun Dhananjaya 27, Dinesh Chandimal 23, Avishka Perera 16; Akila Dhananjaya 5/80, Lasith Embuldeniya 3/78)
Dambulla 261 (Dhananjaya de Silva 106, Lasith Embuldeniya 54, Sonal Dinusha 39, Sahan Kosala 19, Nishan Madushka 15; Milan Ratnayake 4/38, Dilshan Madusanka 3/64, Dilum Sudeera 2/49) and (27/6 overnight) 106 (Akila Dhananjaya 28, Sahan Kosala 25; Dunith Wellalage 6/26, Dilum Sudeera 4/48)
At Sooriyawewa – First innings win for Kandy
Kandy 460 and 244/3 decl. (Janishka Perera 93, Pathum Nissanka 18, Nuwanidu Fernando 100 n.o., Sahan Arachchige 29 n.o.)
Colombo 106 (Navod Paranavithana 22, Avishka Fernando 19, Dhananjaya Lakshan 17; Shiran Fernando 4/49, Sahan Nanayakkara 3/13, Chamindu Wickramasinghe 2/8) and (85/1 overnight) 313/7 (Avishka Fernando 74, Charith Asalanka 65, Lahiru Madusanka 39, Kavin Bandara 32, Dhananjaya Lakshan 18, Navod Paranavithana 15, Shehan Fernando 39 n.o., Kasun Rajitha 16 n.o.; Sahan Nanayakkara 3/76, Shiran Fernando 2/59)