1st Pink-ball games kick off in Dambulla and Hambanthota

The second round of the Super Provincial four-day cricket tournament commenced today with two matches being played at Dambulla and Hambanthota as day-night encounters. This is the first time in Sri Lankan cricket history that day-night games are being played with a pink ball.  

Kandy vs Colombo

Colombo skipper Dinesh Chandimal won the toss and decided to field first at the Hambanthota International Cricket Stadium. Left-handed stroke-makers Tharanga Paranavithana and Mahela Udawatte opened the batting for Kandy but both were dismissed within the first 5 overs adding only 12 runs to the scoreboard.

Kandy skipper Niroshan Dickwella and Charith Asalanka put on a 67-run partnership for the third wicket but the former was unfortunately run out for 38 runs. Right-hander Priyamal Perera joined Asalanka at the crease and built another valuable 62-run partnership for the fourth wicket before the latter was dismissed by leg-spinner Wanidu Hasaranga for 57 runs.

Kandy were 141 runs for 4 wickets at one point but lost the remaining 6 wickets for just 129 runs. Priyamal Perera made 79 runs off 146 balls which included 9 boundaries. Right arm leg spinner Wanidu Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers as he grabbed 4 wickets for 40 runs.

In reply, Colombo openers Shehan Jayasuriya and Kaushal Silva managed to finish day one on 37 for no loss.

Dambulla vs Galle

Dambulla skipper Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and opted to bat first at the Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis opened the batting for the home team but they could not provide a strong start to the innings as the former was dismissed for 0.

The in-form batsman, Ashan Priyanjan who scored a brilliant century in the first-round match, then joined Kusal Mendis and built a 58-run partnership for the second wicket. After the departure of Ashan Priyanjan for 24 runs, the hosts continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.

However, veteran spinner Rangana Herath and all-rounder Lahiru Madushanka tried to rescue the innings with a 50-run partnership for the eighth wicket but it was not enough to post a solid first innings score for Dambulla team as they were bowled out for 244 runs.

Left-arm spinner Chathuranga de Silva impressed with the ball as he took 3 scalps for 31 runs while seamer Nisala Tharaka and left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara picked up 2 wickets each for the Galle team. In reply, Lahiru Milantha and Madawa Warnapura opened the batting for the Galle team but the former was dismissed early for just 9 runs.

Malinda Pushpakumara was sent ahead of usual number three batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama as the night watchman but he too was dismissed for 12 runs in the last over of the day. At stumps on day one, Galle was 38 runs for 2 wickets.