Skipper Asalanka shines with unbeaten ton

By M. Shamil Amit 

Colombo Skipper Charith Asalanka plays a shot (Pic courtesy SLC)

Colombo Skipper Charith Asalanka shone with an unbeaten century on day three of the four-day National Super League Cricket Tournament, to help his side make 341 for six against Galle at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium yesterday.

Colombo, in reply to Galle’s score of 435 and resuming from their overnight score of 86 for one were steered by the overnight pair of Dhananjaya Lakshan and Avishka Fernando.

Both cracked half centuries and associated in a 116-run stand for the second wicket. Later, Avishka put on a 67-run stand for the fourth wicket with Asalanka.

Asalanka remained unbeaten on 142 and his innings included 17 boundaries and two sixes. He also shared a 112-run stand for the fifth wicket with Kavin Bandara, who chipped in 40 runs. 

Meanwhile, Sammu Ashan made a top score of 71 and came to the rescue of Dambulla, who amassed 264 for six before bad light put an early stoppage to the proceedings in their match played the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy.

Ashan added 69 runs for the fifth wicket with Dinura Kalupahana (55) and put on 50 runs for the sixth wicket with Vishad Randika.

Chief scores
At Dambulla:
Galle: 435 
Colombo (86/1 overnight): 341/6 (Dhananjaya Lakshan 60, Avishka Fernando 53, Kavin Bandara 40, Charith Asalanka 142 n.o, Dunith Wellalage 2/46, Nisala Tharaka 2/69).

At Pallekele: 
Jaffna: 418 
Dambulla (54/1 overnight): 264/6 (Sammu Ashan 71, Dinura Kalupahana 55, Nishan Madushka 24, Ron Chandragupta 20, Vishad Randika 42 n.o, Chamindu Wijesinghe 26 n.o, Isitha Wijesundara 2/52, Nimesh Vimukthi 2/74).