Galle take honours on day one

Sangeeth Cooray celebrates after scoring 50 run 
(Photo courtesy SLC)

By M. Shamil Amit

Galle took opening day honours against Colombo in the National Super League cricket tournament encounter played at the Galle Stadium yesterday. 

Galle took first lease of the wicket making a modest score of 267 runs which came on the back of half tons scored by opener Sangeeth Cooray who put on a opening wicket stand of 82-runs with Pabasara Waduge and Priyamal Perera who also made 51. They  associated in a 53-run stand for the eighth wicket with Kavishka Anjula who chipped in with a 33.

Later right arm spinners Akila Dhananjaya and Chanaka Ruwansiri who together shared five wickets between had Colombo in deep trouble and struggling on 110 for 6.

Lasith Abeyratne and skipper Minod Bhanuka who remained unbeaten on 60 and 52 featured in an unbroken 95-run stand for the third wicket to help Dambulla,  taking  first lease of the wicket, to end day one on 159 for 2 against Jaffna in another match of the same tournament played at Dambulla Stadium. 

The match was delayed due to bad light and only 50 overs of play was possible for the day. The matches will be continued today.

Results:
At Galle
Galle 267 (Sangeeth Cooray 51, Priyamal Perera 51, Pabasara Waduge 42, Kavishka Anjula 33, Chanaka Ruwansiri 24; Prabath Jayasuriya 6 for 111, Ashen Bandara 2 for 4)
Colombo 110 for 6 (Ashen Bandara 35, Nipun Dhananjaya 25; Akila Dhananjaya 3 for 28, Chanaka Ruwansiri 2 for 40)
At Dambulla
Dambulla 159 for 2 (Leo Fransisco 24, Lasith Abeyratne 60 n.o., Minod Bhanuka 52 n.o.; Nuwan Pradeep 2 for 38) vs. Jaffna