Kandurata openers Tharanga Paranavithana and Kumar Sangakkara made it look easy as the duo guided their side to a comfortable ten wicket win over Combined Provinces in a rain affected Inter-Provincial encounter which was curtailed to nine overs at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.
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| The morning session was a near washout confining the players to the dressing room.
(Pic by Sanka Vidanagama) |
It seemed that the same fate was in store as in the opening day’s play where the morning sessions match between Basnahira and Wayamba was called off due to wet outfield without a ball being bowled which ended in Wayamba prevailing on the bowl out. The morning sessions play yesterday was hampered due to rain which made play not possible during the morning session. When play was possible it was decided to be a nine over game.
Kandurata skipper Tharanga Paranavithana winning the toss invited Combined Provinces to take first lease of the wicket. Combined Provinces fell into deep trouble in the first over itself.
Veteran Muttiah Muralitharan who opened the attack gave his side an early breakthrough when he dismissed opener Sachitra Rupasinghe in the fourth ball and then dealt a double blow by taking the prize wicket of skipper Jeewan Mendis.
Thereafter pacie Farveez Maharoof in the first ball of his over sent back all rounder Angelo Mathews who lofted a catch to Kumar Sangakkara which saw them struggling on 3 wickets for 1.
Ashan Priyanjan and Chathuranga de Silva who made a top score of 27 seemed to be settling down as the pair added a valuable 32 runs before right arm spinner Jehan Mubarak separated the pair by dismissing Priyanjan.
Chathuranga did not last long as he lasted only further two deliveries as he too became a victim of Mubarak and the side reeling on 36 for 5 in the sixth over.
In the latter part of the inning only Sachith Pathirana was able to make any impression and was the other batsman to enter double figures. Sachith fell to Maharoof before Mubarak struck again.
Mubarak claimed two wickets in his second and the last over of the inning to restrict the Combined Provinces to a score of 61. Mubarak in the two overs he bowled ended with impressive figures of 4 for 7 while Muralitharan and Maharoof claimed two wickets each.
Kandurata in their run chase saw Sangakkara in particular having things his own way as he made an unbeaten 37 in just 19 balls inclusive of five boundaries and a six helping his side romp home with ease with 14 balls remaining.
Combined Provinces 61 for 8 in 9 overs (Chathuranga de Silva 27, Sachith Pathirana 15: Jehan Mubarak 4 for 7, Farveez Maharoof 2 for 10, Muttiah Muralitharan 2 for 12)
Kandurata 63 for no loss in 6.4 overs (Kumar Sangakkara 37 n.o., Tharanga Paranavithana 15 n.o.) |
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