Skipper Kapugedera guides Kandy to easy win
View(s):Super Provincial Limited Over Cricket
Thisara and Munaweera help Colombo to overcome Galle
By M. Shamil Amit
Kandy skipper Chamara Kapugedera slammed a quick-fire unbeaten 105 in only 50 balls that included 14 boundaries and two sixes to guide his side to an easy 39 runs win over Dambulla in a second round match of the Super Provincial limited over tournament played under floodlights at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium yesterday.
Colombo opener Dilshan Munaweera laid the foundation to a successful chase with a quick-fire 86 off 54 balls against Galle at R. Premadasa Stadium - Pic by Amila Gamage
Kapugedera was also involved in two valuable partnerships. First was of 45 runs for the fifth wicket with Charith Asalanka and the other an unbroken 104 runs stand for the sixth with Sachith Pathirana.
This was after Kandy openers Dhanushka Gunatilleke who cracked a run a ball knock of 75 which had seven boundaries while Dilhan Cooray gave the side a flying start putting on 118 runs after skipper Kapugedera won the toss and elected. Kandy batting first posted a formidable score of 323 for 5.
Dambulla in their run chase was making steady progress with skipper Kusal Perera leading the way with a knock of 56. But at the half way stage of the innings they fell back and despite two top knocks coming from Bhanuka Rajapakse who made a top score of 81 and Kusal Mendis who chipped in with a 59 they were able to muster a score of only 284 runs.
In the other match between Colombo and Galle played under floodlights at R. Premadasa Stadium saw the Colombo side record a thrilling three wicket win with six balls to spare. Then the foundation for Colombo was laid by Dilshan Munaweera who made a solid 86 in 54 balls with ten boundaries and four sixes and Angelo Jayasinghe who made a 70. They put on 104 runs for the second wicket.
Even though they lost wickets at regular intervals a match winning partnership of 41 runs for the seventh wicket between Shehan Jayasuriya and Thisara Perera who remained unbeaten 42 helped them secure victory with six balls to spare.
Earlier Galle taking first lease of the wicket after skipper Tharanga won the toss got off to an inauspicious start losing the first wicket in the second over with the score on three.Skipper Tharanga joined by Karunaratne settled down and the duo sent the Colombo bowlers on a leather hunt associating in a massive 174 runs stand for the second wicket before being separated with an unfortunate run out that of Karunaratne who made a brisk 78 in 84 balls which had seven boundaries and two sixes.
Tharanga did not last long thereafter being dismissed with the score on 189 having made a 113 ball knock of 101 inclusive of 13 boundaries and a six. Later Dhananjaya de Silva who remained unbeaten on 52 added 47 runs for the fifth wicket with Dasun Shanaka to help them end with a score of 299 for 9 which proved to be insufficient.
Results
- Â At Dambulla: Kandy beat Dambulla by 39 runs
Kandy 323 for 5 in 50 overs
(Dhanushka Gunatilleke 75, Dilhan Cooray 43, Charith Asalanka 35, Hashan Dumindu 22, Chamara Kapugedera 105 n.o., Sachith Pathirana 25 n.o.: Ashan Priyanjan 4 for 32)
Dambulla 284 in 48.3 overs
(Bhanuka Rajapakse 81, Kusal
Mendis 59, Kusal Perera 56, Dilruwan Perera 36: Charith Asalanka 4 for 27, Nuwan Pradeep 3 for 65)
- At R. Premadasa Stadium: Colombo beat Galle by 3 wickets
Galle 299 for 9 in 50 overs (Upul Tharanga 101, Dimuth Karunaratne 78, Dasun Shanaka 25, Dhananjaya de Silva 52 n.o.: Vishwa Fernando 2 for 56)
Colombo 301 for 7 in 49 overs (Dilshan Munaweera 86, Angelo Jayasinghe 70, Shehan Jayasuriya 30, Kithruwan Vithanage 27, Dinesh Chandimal 17, Thisara Perera 42 n.o., Sachithra Senanayake 17 n.o. Seekkuge Prasanna 2 for 59, Suranga Lakmal 2 for 61)