Two games of the Super Provincial four day cricket tournament, organized by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) concluded today at Katunayake and Hambanthota.
Colombo vs Galle
The clash between Colombo and Galle ended in a draw today at Hambanthota with first innings points won by the Galle team. The lads from Galle resumed day four on 4 for no wicket but opening batsman Madawa Warnapura was trapped lbw by left arm seamer Vishwa Fernando for 8 runs.
Number three batsman Oshada Fernando could not stay at the crease for long as he was also trapped lbw by Vishwa Fernando for just 3 runs. However, left handed Lahiru Milantha and right handed Sadeera Samarawickrama rescued the innings with a 147-run partnership for the third wicket.
Samarawickrama showed his elegant stroke-play again with a 77-run knock which included 8 boundaries. Milantha remained unbeaten on 74 runs stroking 7 boundaries. Left arm seamer Vishwa Fernando was impressive with the ball for Colombo as he picked up 2 wickets for 24 runs. The Umpires decided to call off play for day four around 3.30 pm due to bad light.
Dambulla vs Kandy
The other clash played between Dambulla and Kandy also ended in a draw today at Katunayake with Dambulla winning first innings points. The Dambulla team resumed day four on 163 runs for 7 wickets and overnight batsmen Sachithra Senanayake and Milinda Siriwardana continued to pile runs on the board building a very valuable 119-run partnership for the eighth wicket.
Sachithra Senanayake was dismissed for 60 runs by leg spinner Jeewan Mendis; his innings included 4 fours and 2 massive sixes. Siriwardana stroked an elegant 71 runs off 118 balls that included 7 boundaries. Speedsters Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara picked up 3 wickets each for Kandy.
Chasing 373 runs to win, the experienced Tharanga Paranavithana and Mahela Udawatte opened the innings but they could not get a strong start to their innings as the former was dismissed for just 9 runs. Number three batsman Charith Asalanka and Udawatte joined together and put on a solid 68-run partnership for the second wicket.
After the departure of Charith Asalanka for 30 runs, skipper Niroshan Dickwella and Udawatte guided the innings with an unbeaten 127-run partnership for the fourth wicket as both captains agreed to call off the game around 4.30 pm. Udawatte showed his class with the bat, scoring 103 runs off 137 balls which included 11 fours. The skipper Dickwella supported him well at the other end stroking 56 runs off 88 balls which included 3 fours.
