Charith Asalanka starred with 65 runs for Galle Galants, Galle Galants’ Eshan Malinga (4/26) celebrates after capturing a wicket 
(Pix by Kushan Pathiraja)

By M. Shamil Amit

Charith Asalanka with a top knock of 65 and Eshan Malinga with wickets helped Galle Gallants to record a comfortable 36-run win over Jaffna Kings in the Lanka Premier League cricket tournament encounter played under floodlights at the SSC ground yesterday.

Jaffna Kings, in pursuit of a challenging victory target of 214 runs, were restricted to a score of 177 runs.

Despite openers Avishka Fernando and Kamil Mishara giving them a solid start of 63 runs in 32 balls, the others, apart from Dunith Wellalage, failed to make any impression as they succumbed to paceman Malinga, who bagged three early wickets to have them struggling on 87 for 5 at the halfway stage of the innings.

Though the late-order batting put in some resistance, it was not going to be sufficient to prevent the Galle Gallants from beginning their campaign on a winning note.

Earlier, Galle Gallants, invited to take first lease of the wicket, saw opener Sam Harper making merry as he did the bulk of the scoring while his partner Lasith Croospulle was playing second fiddle, finding it tough to come to terms with the opposition bowling.

Croospulle did not last long as he faced only four balls before falling victim to Dunith Wellalage for just one run. Of the 43-run opening wicket stand, Harper’s contribution was 40, but unfortunately he did not last long as he followed three runs later, being dismissed by right-arm paceman Lizaad Williams.

This was followed by Charith Asalanka along with Mehidy Hasan Miraz making steady progress, and at the halfway stage of the innings Galle Gallants were on 81 for 2. The pair’s brief stand of 36 runs for the third wicket came to an end with the dismissal of Miraz, who became Williams’ second victim.

Asalanka, joined by Sahan Arachchige, put in stiff resistance and they succeeded in posting the side’s 100 runs on the board, which came off 74 balls. They went on to post the 50-run partnership for the fourth wicket, which was followed by Asalanka racing to his half-ton that took him 32 balls with five boundaries and two sixes.

The pair put up Galle Gallants’ 150 runs on the board, which came off 98 balls, and six runs later right-arm paceman David Wiese made the breakthrough for Jaffna Kings with the prized wicket of Asalanka. Asalanka hit a quick-fire 65 in 38 balls, which included seven boundaries and three sixes, sharing a valuable 74 runs in 39 balls for the fourth wicket with Arachchige.

With the score on 156 for 4, they lost another quick wicket for the addition of nine runs—that of Arachchige, who made 35 in 24 balls with three boundaries and two sixes.

From there on, skipper Dasun Shanaka and Mohammad Nawaz went on the rampage as they sent the Jaffna Kings bowlers on a leather hunt and put on 48 runs in just 16 balls. Both faced nine balls each, with Nawaz making 21 and Shanaka remaining unbeaten on 31, including two boundaries and three sixes, which helped Galle Gallants to end with a challenging score of 213 for 6.