LPL LIVE BLOG: Unbeaten Colombo Kings take on Dambulla Viiking

07:07 PM

Stay tuned for our coverage of the second match of today's double-header between Kusal Perera's Kandy Tuskers and the Thisara Perera-led Jaffna Stallions. 

07:04 PM

Dasun Shanaka is the Man of the Match. He says the decision to bring in two leg-spinners was influenced by the presence of 10 right-handers in the Colombo Kings' lineup. 

06:56 PM

Colombo will be ruing a missed stumping opportunity off Dasun Shanaka (56) in the first innings that allowed the Viiking to reach 175. Udana, Chameera and Russell were good with the ball but the others were wayward, evidenced by the 24 extras they conceded.

Much like Danushka Gunathilaka yesterday, Laurie Evans (59) was the lone warrior for Colombo during the chase as Dasun Shanaka's decision to play four spinners paid dividends. Samit Patel, Anwar Ali, Malinda Pushpakumara and Pulina Tharanaga each claimed two wickets apiece.

Both sides sit on two wins from two games with Colombo Kings placed one spot above the Viiking on the basis on Net Run Rate.

06:53 PM

Colombo 147 all out in 18.4 overs

Dambulla Viiking choke the Colombo Kings with spin and win by 28 runs. 

06:52 PM

That's the win for Dambulla!

Chameera c b Ali 17(12)

Chameera got a few boundaries away but he's rushed by an Anwar Ali bouncer and Pulina Tharanga runs in from point to take a good diving catch. 

06:44 PM

Colombo need 49 off 3 overs. One more wicket to get for Dambulla. 

06:40 PM

Qais Ahmed b A Perera b P Tharanga 14(9)

Ahmed has a bit of fun with a four and a si but holes out in the end. Taken by Angelo Perera who has been in the thick of things in the field. 

06:35 PM

The teams take another time-out

06:34 PM

D Prasad st Dickwella b Patel 7(6)

Jumps out and has a swing. Misses it completely and Patel has his second. 

06:32 PM

Colombo 105/7 in 15 overs.

Pulina Tharanga gets through a tidy over. Qais and Prasad can give you a boundary or two but 71 off 30 is asking too much from them. 

06:28 PM

Colombo Kings need 76 off 36 with 3 wickets in hand

P Tharanga to continue. 

06:27 PM

Wicket number 7! It's all falling apart for Colombo  

Udana c Shanaka b Pushpakumara 5(11)

Leading edge off the left-armer and it's a regulation catch for Dasun Shanaka. 

06:25 PM

Viikings picked four spinners who turn the ball away from the right-hander for this game and so far it's worked a treat. 

06:24 PM

Another new bowler, another wicket!  L Evans b Pulina Tharanga 59(33)  

Colombo 95/6 in 13 overs.

This time it's right-arm leggie Pulina Tharanga. Laurie Evans has to keep going but this time he's unsuccessful. Goes across the line and finds his stumps disturbed.

06:22 PM

Fifty for Evans!

Wickets have fallen around him but he's gone about his business unfazed. 

06:20 PM

After 12 overs Colombo Kings are 85 for 5

Laurie Evans 49(28), Isuru Udana 2(6)

06:18 PM

Colombo Kings 78/5

2 sixes over mid-wicket for Evans off the 11th overs of the innings bowled by Colombage. Some sweet hitting by the Englishman; would've cleared the boundary at any ground in the world. 

06:13 PM

5 down!

A Priyanjan c A Perera b Pushpakumara 11(12)

Priyanjan tries to break the shackles and he's caught on the edge of the field. Pushpakumara strikes at the Kings fall further into the hole.  

Colombo need 113 from the last 10 overs. 

06:10 PM

Colombo Kings 60/4 (9) 

A Priyanjan 9(9), L Evans 28(19)

A tight over from Colombage. The asking rate's starting to climb and with Russell back in the hut, the Kings are up against it as they try to defend their unbeaten record. 

06:04 PM

Ashan Priyanjan has joined Laurie Evans at the crease. Evans has been starved of the strike in the last few overs.

06:02 PM

Colombo Kings need 127 off 78 balls. 

Samit Patel back into the attack.

05:59 PM

Colombage gets Russell!

Andre Russell c Perera b Colombage 5(6)

He's got the big fish and it's off a long-hop of all deliveries that does it! Leg-spinner Colombage drops one short and Russell doesn't get it cleanly. Angelo Perera moves around at deep mid-wicket and takes a very important catch. The Viiking are jubilant!

05:55 PM

We're done with the powerplay and Colombo Kings are 41/3.

Just two runs off Anwar Ali's first over. What plans do the Viiking have in store for DreRuss? They are playing two leg-spinners today. 

05:53 PM

Russell in at number 5

05:51 PM

Mathews goes!

A Mathews c Pushpakumara b Anwar Ali 11(14)

It's the last over of the powerplay and Mathews tries to take Anwar on. Only succeeds in dragging it to mid-on who takes it above his head. Managed two fours over the off-side but otherwise struggled to rotate the strike today. 

05:47 PM

A six and a four from Englishman Laurie Evans off Patel. He's shaping up nicely.

Colombo 39/2 in 5 overs.

05:45 PM

After 4 overs: Colombo Kings 25/2.   A Mathews 10(11), L Evans 11(7)

Tidy over from Rajitha. Had a sharp caught and bowled opportunity off Mathews but it was hit fiercely and he would've been lucky to have it stick. 

05:37 PM

Pushpakumara didn't bowl in the last game but he's been given the ball in the powerplay today. 

05:36 PM

Colombo Kings 15/2 (2)

Two boundaries and a wicket off that Kasun Rajitha over. 

05:35 PM

Thikshila hits it straight to the man

Thikshila de Silva c Stirling b Rajitha 5(5)

On his legs and he chooses to go aerial. Picks out the only fielder in the deep on the leg-side. Should have placed that better. Stirling is a pretty safe fielder and he gobbles it up. 

05:30 PM

Patel strikes first ball! 

D Chandimal c&b Patel 0(1)

Chandimal strikes it back to Patel who takes a one handed catch to send the right-hander back to the dugout. What a start for Dambulla!

05:26 PM

Conditions have been extremely conducive for run-making this tournament and Colombo Kings should back themselves to pull down this target of 176. 

05:16 PM

A few boundaries by Malinda Pushpakumara and a couple of wickets for Russell in the final over sees the Viiking end up with 175 for 9. 

Dasun Shanaka (56) continued his good run with the bat and while his side got off to another below-par start,  they've hauled their way to a reasonable total. 

Isuru Udana (3/25) and D Chameera (2/27) bowled in good areas with the ball and Andre Russell came in at the death to claim 3 wickets of own. 

05:12 PM
That's the big wicket 

Dasun Shanaka c Russell b Udana 56(34)

Smacks a six off Udana but finds Russell in the covers next ball. He's played a good hand. 

05:08 PM
Dambulla Viiking 151/5 in 18 overs

Andre Russell's first over of the competition goes well. He's just ambling in to the crease but his modus operandi has been to target the block-hole and he executes perfectly. Just five runs off the over. 

05:05 PM

Ali holes out! 
Anwar Ali c Qais Ahmed b Russell 2(4)

Tries to take on Andre Russell but fails to get hold of it well enough. Ahmed makes no mistake at long-on. 

05:00 PM

12 off Chameera's final over

Dambulla Viiking 146/5 in 17 overs.Dasun Shanaka 45(28), Anwar Ali 1(1)

04:58 PM

Shanaka overtakes Danushka Gunathilaka as the highest run-getter of the LPL so far 

04:55 PM

Dambulla 134-5 in 16 overs.

Two sixes from Shanaka off Qais. He's continuing his good tournament. 

Qais ends his spell wicketless but he's bowled some good deliveries here and there. Beat Shanaka with an absolute jaffa off the fifth ball of the last over. 

04:51 PM

Udana foxes Perera

Angelo Perera c Chandimal b Udana 21(16)

Perera is early on this slower ball from Udana. Chandimal runs forward and to his right to take a comfortable catch in the end. 
Pakistan's Anwar Ali is the new batsman. 

04:45 PM

Chameera has been the standout bowler so far with 2 for 15 off 3 overs. Might have had a third on most other grounds with Angelo Perera's edge that carried over fine-leg for a 58 meter six. 

04:43 PM

The umpire signals the second strategic time-out of the innings.

Colombo Kings have given away a whopping 20 extras so far. 

04:42 PM

Dambulla Viiking 117/4 in 14 overs.
Dasun Shanaka 20(14), Angelo Perera 20(13)

Shanaka and Perera are beginning to open up. Remember, Colombo should have had Shanaka a few overs back. They will have 175-plus in their minds. 

04:31 PM

Dambulla Viiking 88/4 in 12 overs

Qais is giving the ball some air, tempting the batsman to step out and go after him. 

04:30 PM

Chandimal fluffs a stumping chance off Shanaka!

Qais Ahmed beats Shanaka with a good piece of leg-spin bowling but Chandimal doesn't gather cleanly which allows Shanaka to get back. 

04:23 PM

That's unfortunate for Patel!

S Patel c Chandimal b Chameera 30(27)

Its a slower delivery from Chameera and Patel who was settling in nicely can only tickle this one to the keeper. 

Angelo Perera joins Shanaka at the crease. He's got a job to do today. 

04:22 PM

At the halfway stage: Dambulla Viiking 80/3 

Samit Patel 29(25), Dasun Shanaka 5(4)

An important that partnership this one. 

04:17 PM

Third wicket down for the Viiking

Tharanga c Russell b Chameera 25(24)

Dushmantha Chameera is into the attack and bowls what has been comfortably the fastest over of the match. Tharanga is cramped for room trying to pull a ball that isn't all that short and lobs it up to Andre Russell.  

04:10 PM

Vandersay can't find his radar first up. Sends three wide deliveries down the leg side, one of which rolls away to the fence. 17 off the over in the end.

8 overs gone, Dambulla Viiking are 71 for 2

04:06 PM

In comes Jeffrey Vandersay with his leg-breaks. 

04:06 PM

Samit Patel's been in good touch this tournament. He ends Ashan Priyanjan's first over with a lofted six over wide long-off.

Dambulla 54/2 (7)

04:01 PM

At the end of the powerplay: Dambulla Viiking 45/2

Upul Tharanga 16(13), Samit Patel 16(16)

Colombo will be the happier of the two sides so far. 

03:59 PM

Colombo Kings are all over the Viiking batsmen in this powerplay. Isuru Udana in particular has been right on the money. He spoils his second over however with a long half-volley to which Upul Tharanga helps himself to a boundary. 

Dambulla Viiking 34/2 in 5 overs. 

03:50 PM

After 3 overs: Dambulla Viiking 20/3

Samit Patel 4(6), Upul Tharanga 7(5)

Mathews' second over goes for 11. D Prasad to bowl the next one. Dambulla would not mind seeing some pace on the ball 

03:41 PM

Straight to mid-wicket from Stirling

Paul Stirling c de Silva b Udana 1(3)

The Kings continue to take pace off the ball. Stirling tries to clear mid-wicket but finds Thikshila de Silva who juggles it but manages to hold on. 

03:37 PM

Dambulla Viiking 3/1 after 1 over

03:34 PM

Mathews makes the early breakthrough

N Dickwella c Chandimal b Mathews 1(4)

Mathews hasn't given Dickwella any pace to work with. He rolls his fingers over this and it's down the leg side but Dickwella is early on the shot and gloves it to the wicket keeper.

03:29 PM

Niroshan Dickwella and Paul Stirling to open for the Viiking. 

Angelo Mathews has the new ball. 

03:11 PM

Colombo Kings (Playing XI): Angelo Mathews (c), Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Laurie Evans, Thikshila de Silva, Andre Russell, Ashan Priyanjan, Isuru Udana, Dhammika Prasad, Jeffrey Vandersay, Qais Ahmad and Dushmantha Chameera

Mathews indicates that we might see Andre Russell with the ball today. 

Dambulla have made four changes to their lineup. 

Dambulla Viiking (Playing XI): Dasun Shanaka (c), Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Paul Stirling, Upul Tharanga, Angelo Perera, Samit Patel, Pulina Tharanga, Malinda Pushpakumara, Sachindu Colombage, Kasun Rajitha and Anwar Ali

03:06 PM

Dambulla Viiking won the toss and elected to bat.

Angelo Mathews says that he would have bowled first regardless, so both captains will walk away pleased. 

03:01 PM

Dambulla Viiking used seven bowlers in their previous game and also had the option of turning to Malinda Pushpakumara and Paul Stirling who weren’t required on the day. With such a surfeit of bowlers they may want to bring in a frontline batsman or two in place of Pushpakumara and/or Lahiru Madushanka.

02:54 PM

Dambulla Viiking Squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Niroshan Dickwella(wk), Paul Stirling, Upul Tharanga, Samit Patel, Anwar Ali, Lahiru Madushanka, Ramesh Mendis, Aftab Alam, Malinda Pushpakumara, Lahiru Kumara, Sudeep Tyagi, Samiullah Shinwari, Angelo Perera, Pulina Tharanga, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kasun Rajitha, Oshada Fernando, Ashen Bandara, Dilshan Madushanka, Kavindu Nadeeshan and Sachindu Colombage

Colombo Kings Squad: Angelo Mathews (c), Dinesh Chandimal(wk), Laurie Evans, Thikshila de Silva, Andre Russell, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Ashan Priyanjan, Isuru Udana, Qais Ahmad, Dushmantha Chameera, Amila Aponso, Dhammika Prasad, Manpreet Gony, Karim Sadiq, Tharindu Kaushal, Jeffrey Vandersay, Kalana Perera, Navod Paranavithana, Lahiru Udara, Himesh Ramanayake and Tharindu Ratnayake

02:52 PM

It’s Colombo Kings taking on Dambulla Viiking in the 7th match  of the Lanka Premier League. The unbeaten Kings are back after two days off while the Viiking who have a win and a loss in their two games are back on the park a day after a Thisara Perera onslaught consigned them to a 66-run defeat.