LIYANAGE STEERSDAMBULLA GIANTS

BY M. SHAMIL AMIT REPORTING FROM SOORIYAWEWA

An unbeaten 56 in 47 balls, inclusive of five boundaries, by JanithLiyanage helped the Dambulla Giants record a comfortable six-wicket win over the Colombo Stars in the Eliminator encounter of the Lanka Premier League played at the Sooriyawewa Stadium yesterday.

The Dambulla Giants, in pursuit of 146 runs for victory, made smooth progress, with the score on 78 for 3 at the halfway stage of the innings. Liyange, who found a reliable partner in NajibullahZadran, with whom he put on a valuable fourth-wicket partnership of 61 runs, laid the foundation for the Dambulla Giants to reach the target in the 19th over.

The first session of proceedings saw Colombo Stars, after skipper Angelo Mathews won the toss and opted to take the first lease of the wicket, lose two early wickets within the space of six overs with the score on 26.

Two fine knocks, one by PathumNissanka, who made 42 in 38 balls, and an unbeaten half-ton in 34 balls, inclusive of four boundaries and two sixes by skipper Mathews, which was his second of the tournament, helped the side to end with a score of 145, which proved to be insufficient.