Thisara (68 off 28)-Dhananjaya (61 off 38) magic in Jaffna Stallions 54-run win over Kandy Tuskers
By Srian Obeyesekere
Skipper Thisara Perera continued his giant killing batting prowess in the 2020 Lanka Premier League with yet another magical all-round performance showcased by a 28-ball 68 studded with 5 sixes and an equal number of boundaries, and 2 wickets, combining with the rock solid Dhananjaya de Silva, in the pivotal No.3 slot, holding fort as wickets tumbled around him in making 61 off 38 hitting 3 sixes and 5 boundaries, in defeating the Kandy Tuskers by 54 runs in the second Day-Night match of the day on Tuesday and the eighth of the tournament at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium at Sooriyawewa, Hambantota. Jaffna Stallions, batting first made 185 for 8 off 20 overs and dismissed Kandy Tuskers for 131 in 17.1 overs.
With this win, Jaffna Tuskers was in the box seat leading the LPL points table with 6 points from 3 straight wins and net run rate of 1.719.
Dhananjaya was joined by Thisara, known for his trade mark characteristic reveling in dire situations in lifting his side out of trouble from a dire 4 for 49 in 9.3 overs to the zenith of coming thumbs up figuring in a rollicking 118-run alliance for the fifth wicket.
Kandy Tuskers lost their way crumbling to 3 for 37 and 4 for 70 by 8.2 overs against tight bowling by Usman Shinwari who removed both openers
Rahmullah Gurbaz for 6 and danger man Kusal Janith Perera, the skipper for 4 with the total reading 2 for 24 in 2.2 overs from which the side never recovered. Suranga Lakmal accounted for Kusal Mendis 20 off 9 (2×6, 1×4) breaking the backbone of the Tuskers batting. Brandon Taylor top scored with 46 off 32 (4×4, 3×6) with next best contributions from Asela Gunaratne 31 off 24 (4×4). Shinwari returned figures of 3 for 17 with Thisara Perera 2 for 9, Wanidu Hasaranga 2 for 17 and Lakmal 2 for 27.
CHIEF SCORES:
JAFFNA STALLIONS 185/8 (20 Overs) RR: 9.25
(N.L.T.C. Perera 68, D.M. de Silva 61, M. Bhanuka 15, Naveen-ul-Haq 3/44, D.A.S. Gunaratne 2/20)
KANDY TUSKERS 131 (17.1 Overs) RR: 7.63
(B.R.M. Taylor 46, D.A.S. Gunarate 31, B.K.G. Mendis 20, Usman Shinwari 3/17, N.L.T.C. Perera 2/9, R.A.S. Lakma 2/27)
Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 0.5 ov), 2-24 (Kusal Perera, 2.2 ov), 3-47 (Kusal Mendis, 4.4 ov), 4-70 (Kamindu Mendis, 8.2 ov), 5-90 (Brendan Taylor, 10.4 ov), 6-98 (Seekkuge Prasanna, 11.6 ov), 7-119 (Dilruwan Perera, 14.4 ov), 8-125 (Naveen-ul-Haq, 15.3 ov), 9-126 (Nuwan Pradeep, 16.2 ov), 10-131 (Asela Gunaratne, 17.1 ov)
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