Rossouw and Mendis steer Jaffna Kings to fourth title win

By M. Shamil Amit

(Daily Mirror) - Rilee Rossouw and Kusal  Mendis made the chase of 185 runs look easy and losing the first wicket in the first ball did not deter the pair or put them back as they steered Jaffna Kings to coast to a convincing nine wicket win over Galle Marvels in the final of the fifth Lanka Premier League tournament played under floodlights at R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

On the other hand the quick fire knock by Bhanuka Rajapaksa was put in the shade as Rossouw replied with a blistering unbeaten knock of 106 in only 53 balls which had nine boundaries and seven towering sixes while Mendis cracked an unbeaten 72 in 40 balls with eight boundaries and two sixes paving the way for Jaffna Kings to race to the target with the minimum of fuss in the 16th over.

Apart from Jaffna Kings winning the title for the fourth time their opponents Galle Marvels have been victims on two other occasions with the other two being in the first two tournaments conducted in 2020 and 2021.

Galle Marvels sent into take first lease of the wicket underwent early setbacks as they found runs coming in hard and was in a spot of bother with three of their top batsmen Alex Hales, skipper Niroshan Dickwella and Janith Liyanage back in the pavilion with the score on 24 in the seventh over.

Tim Seifert and Bhanuka Rajapaksa came to their rescue as the duo playing with cautious put up the 50 runs on the board but it took as much 61 balls. The 50 runs partnership between them came quicker in 27 balls before pacie Avishka Fernando made the breakthrough for Jaffna Kings with the wicket of Seifert who hit 47 in 37 balls with two boundaries and four sixes and adding 62 runs for the for the fourth wicket.

From there on the flood gates were opened Rajapaksa went on the rampage paying scant respect. Galle Marvels reached the three figure mark in the 13th over or in 78 balls which followed with Rajapaksa racing to his half ton in only 21 balls which had five boundaries and four sixes and the 50 runs stand between the two which came off just 22 balls.

The pair’s dominance came to an end after having added 72 runs for the fifth wicket in just 30 balls with the dismissal of Arachchige and Galle Marvels on 158 for 5 in the 18th over. Rajapaksa followed 14 runs later having slammed a 34 ball knock of 82 which included eight boundaries and six towering sixes as Galle Marvels ended their innings with a healthy score of 184. In fact whilst struggling on 24 for 3 in the seventh over they succeeded making 160 runs in the remaining 13 overs.

Result:

• At R. Premadasa Stadium – Jaffna Kings won by nine wickets

Galle Marvels: 184 for 6 in 20 overs (Bhanuka Rajapaksa 82, Tim Seifert 47: Asitha Fernando 3/35, Jason Behrendorff 2/18)

Jaffna Kings: 185 for 1 in 15.4 over (Rilee Rossouw 106 n.o., Kusal Mendis 72 n.o.: Dwaine Pretorius 1/18)

Pix by: Kushan Pathiraja