Jaffna Stallions recovered from a horrendous start in magnificent fashion to post a 66-run victory over Dambulla Viking in the fifth match of LPL 2020 in Hambantota on Monday.
Captain Thisara perera played a sensational unbeaten knock of 97 from 44 balls as Jaffna Stallions posted a mammoth 218/7 batting first. Usman Shinwari then came up with a top-class display of pace bowling, picking up 3 for 16 to enable Jaffna Stallions defend their tall total with ease.
Shinwari got the first breakthrough for his side, foxing the dangerous-looking Niroshan Dickwella for 20. He later came back to pick up a couple of more scalps, but by that time, the game was well in Jaffna Stallions’ grasp.
Dambulla Viiking were never really in the chase after their experienced batsmen Upul Tharanga (15) and Paul Stirling (2) fell early, leaving the side in big strife at 63 for 3, from which they never recovered.
Samit Patel and Dasun Shanka contributed 41 and 35 respectively in quick time, but it was never going to be enough on the day. The lower order crumbled without any fight as Dambulla Viiking were bowled out for 152.
Thisara Perera continued his great day, claiming 2 for 23, while Binura Fernando also helped himself to a couple of wickets.
Thisara Perera’s knock saw Jaffna Stallions make a superb comeback after they found themselves in all sorts of trouble at the halfway stage at 66 for 5 in the LPL game.
The Jaffna Stallions skipper found good support at the other end, as Wanindu Hasaranga came in and slammed in a quick-fire 24 off ten balls. The bad news for Dambulla Viiking though was that Perera wasn’t done yet.
He looted 30 runs off the penultimate over bowled by Lahiru Kumara to lift Jaffna Stallions past 200. The horror over began with two fours followed by three consecutive sixes and another four. Kumara tried the yorkers, short balls and length balls, but nothing worked against Perera. Kumara ended up conceding 63 runs in his four overs in the LPL game.
The end was in stark contrast to the start for both teams. After winning the toss and inserting Jaffna Stallions into bat, Dambulla Viiking got off to the perfect start as Avishka Fernando nicked Kumara and perished in the first over.
Minod Bhanuka, Tom Moores and Dhananjaya de Silva all failed to get going while Shoaib Malik and Chaturanga de Silva perished after scoring 20s. Perera though came in and completely swung the momentum of the LPL game.
Samit Patel was Dambulla Viiking’s best bowler with 2 for 26 while Ramesh Mendis claimed 1 for 25 in his four.
Shinwari was excellent with the ball. And, on most days, his figures of 3 for 16 would have helped him walked away with the Performance of the Day honours.
However, Monday was all about Perera in the Jaffna Stallions-Dambulla Viiking LPL game. Had it not been for his stellar knock, Jaffna Stallions might not have been able to post a challenging total, leave alone a match-winning one.
That was because Stallions had lost half their side before the tenth over. The Man of the Match award rightly went to Perera for his impact in the LPL game. And, if there was still any iota of doubt, his two wickets sealed the deal.
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