First-Class cricket back in the spotlight

There’s a fresh buzz in the domestic circuit as First-Class cricket in Sri Lanka has found its competitive edge once more. The coaching staff of the national team, together with the selection panel, have put their heads together and encouraged top cricketers to roll up their sleeves and return to the grind of red-ball cricket. The result? A season brimming with tight contests, spirited performances, and no shortage of drama.

With T20 leagues mushrooming across the globe and luring players with lucrative paydays, the traditional longer format had taken a back seat in recent times. But in a bid to sharpen skills and build temperament, Sri Lanka Cricket’s think tank has drawn a line in the sand – urging players to embrace the hard yards of First-Class cricket.

Leading the charge is young Dunith Wellalage, who has embraced the challenge with both arms. Prior to the ongoing season, the 22-year-old left-arm spinner had ironically donned the Sri Lankan cap in more international games than he had appearances in First-Class matches. But this season, he’s made up for lost time in style.

Last week, he played the starring role for Galle, who squared off against Dambulla in a fiery contest. Chasing a modest 255, Dambulla’s innings imploded like a house of cards, reduced to a nightmarish 23 for six. Though there was some resistance down the order, the writing was on the wall. Wellalage ran through the line-up like a hot knife through butter, finishing with figures of six wickets in the innings. His haul not only sealed a thumping 145-run win for Galle but also brought him to the brink of a significant milestone – just two shy of 100 First-Class wickets.

Galle, under the leadership of former Royalist Pasindu Suriyabandara, now sit pretty at the top of the points table, with momentum firmly in their corner.

Another notable returnee to the First-Class fold is white-ball skipper Charith Asalanka. A household name in Sri Lanka’s limited-overs set-up, Asalanka had become something of a stranger to the long format. In a career spanning nine years, he had played only 48 First-Class games, while already featuring in 134 internationals. That imbalance has finally begun to even out this season.

Leading Colombo, Asalanka found himself in the thick of things during a rollercoaster of a game in Hambantota against Kandy. Kandy piled on a mammoth 460 in their first innings, and Colombo, in reply, crumbled to a paltry 106. Asked to chase an Everest-like target of 599, Colombo’s fate looked sealed with seven wickets down heading into the final session.

But cricket, as they say, is a game of glorious uncertainties. Enter Kasun Rajitha and Sheahan Fernando – unlikely heroes who dug in their heels and stonewalled the Kandy attack for two hours. The great escape ensured Colombo clung on for a draw from the jaws of defeat.

As the tournament gathers steam, the upcoming fixtures promise more fireworks. This Thursday, the action shifts to Dambulla and RPS. Dambulla host Colombo, while Kandy lock horns with Jaffna. Galle, the team to beat so far, get a week’s breather.

by Rex Clementine