Sports
Jaffna win low scoring thriller
Defending champions Jaffna Kings got off to a superb start as they defended 137 runs to win the curtain-raiser of the third edition of Lanka Premier League tournament against Galle Gladiators at Suriywawewa yesterday. Jaffna Kings managed only 137 runs batting first but their bowling was too good as they bowled out Galle Gladiators for 113.
Seamer Binura Fernando who returned home from Australia halfway through the ICC Men’s T-20 World Cup with a hamstring injury picked up three wickets for 22 runs while leggie Vijayakanth Viyaskanth picked up two for 20.
Galle Gladiators got off to a good start with openers Kusal Mendis and Nuwanidu Fernando adding 58 runs for the first wicket in 45 balls. Mendis made the only half-century in the game posting a 43 ball 51 with five fours before being trapped leg before wicket by Maheesh Theekshana. His dismissal saw Galle Gladiators losing their way as they collapsed. At one stage they were 97 for four and needed 41 in 24 balls but lost their last six wickets for 16 runs to go down to the strongest team in the competition.
There was not much support for Mendis as the next best score was Imad Wasim’s 17. Mendis is leading the Galle Gladiators.
Shoaib Malik and Dunith Wellalage made 30 runs each for Jaffna while Dhananjaya de Silva posted 29 from 19 balls with three fours and two sixes.
Brief Scores:
Jaffna Kings
137 all out in 19.5 overs
(Dhananjaya de Silva 29, Dunith Wellalage 30, Shoaib Malik 30, Ifthikar Ahmed 2 for eight)
Galle Gladiators
113 all out in 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 51, Imad Wasim 17, Binura Fernando 3 for 22, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 2 for 20)
(Cricbuzz)
Sri Lanka elected to bat first in the second ODI against England at the R Premadasa International Stadium
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
England: Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, 4Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (capt), Jos Buttler (wk), Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid
Tanzid Hasan’s century propelled Rajshahi Warriors to their first BPL trophy, after they beat Chattogram Royals by 63 runs in the final.
Tanzid became the third batter after Tamim Iqbal and Chris Gayle to score a century in the BPL final, helping Rajshahi to a competitive 174 for 4 after batting first.
Chattogram, the underdog side of the tournament which came good despite not having a proper team owner, were bowled out for 111 runs in 17.5 overs. Sri Lanka fast bowler Binura Fernando took four wickets, and left-arm spinner Hasan Murad took three wickets.
It was Rajshahi’s batting that set the tone for the win. They got an early boost when openers Tanzid and Sahibzada Farhan added 83 runs for the first wicket in 10.2 overs. Farhan made a run-a-ball 30 with two fours and a six, but it was Tanzid who held Rajshahi’s innings together. He added 47 runs with Kane Williamson, before reaching his third T20 century, off 61 balls. Tanzid struck seven sixes and six fours, before falling for 100 in the penultimate over.
Shoriful Islam took his BPL tally to 26 wickets for the season with two wickets, while Mukidul Islam was Chattogram’s best bowler on the day, taking 2 for 20 from his four overs.
Fernando gave Rajshahi another good start with the ball, removing Mohammad Naim and Mahmudul Hasan Joy in the third over. He returned to remove Asif Ali and Shoriful Islam to finish with excellent figures of 4 for 9.
Murad then struck, first with the big wicket of Hassan Nawaz, followed by wickets of Chattogram captain Mahedi Hasan and Mirza Baig. Chattogram’s chase never really took off, as the rest of the Rajshahi bowlers took control after Murad’s four overs.
Brief scores:
Rajshahi Warriors 174 for 4 in 20 overs (Tanzid Hasan 100, Sahibzada Farhan 30, Kane Williamson 24, Najmul Hossain Shanto 11; Shoriful Islam 2-33, Mukidul Islam 2-20) beat Chattogram Royals 111 in 17.5 overs (Mirza Baig 39, Hasan Nawaz 11, Zahiduzzaman 11, Asif Ali 21; Binura Fernando 4-90, James Neesham 2-24, Abdul Gaffar Saqlain 1-24, Hasan Murad 3-15) by 63 runs
[Cricinfo]
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