Lanka T10 League: Jaffna Titans and Galle Marvels begin campaign on winning note

By M. Shamil Amit

The inaugural Lanka T10 League which got underway yesterday at the Pallekele International Stadium saw Jaffna Titans and Galle Marvels begin their campaign with a winning start by recording wins against Hambantota Bangla Tigers and Kandy Bolts respectively.

Jaffna Titans coasted to an easy eight wicket win which was the first match of the tournament while Galle Marvels pulled off a seven wicket win which was the third match.
An unbroken 75 runs stand for the third wicket between Tom Kohler Cadmore who slammed a quick fire 57 in just 21 balls inclusive of six boundaries and four sixes and Tom Abell who made 22 paved the way for Jaffna Titans to record an easy win.

The pair helped Jaffna Titans chasing 107 runs for victory to race to the target with 11 balls to spare. Earlier Hambantota Bangla Tigers taking first lease of the wicket made 106 which came on the back of a 77 runs stand for the second wicket between Dasun Shanaka and Mohammad Shahzad.
In the second match of the tournament between Nuwara Eliya Kings and Colombo Jaguars only six overs of play was possible as it was stopped with Nuwara Eliya Kings on 79 for 1 and the umpires were forced to call off the match which ended in a no result.
In the third match Galle Marvels in pursuit of 101 runs lost three wickets for three runs within the space of four balls after openers Alex Hales and Sandun Weerakkody gave them a sedate start of 36 runs.
That was all the success that the Kandy Bolts bowlers was able to achieve as the fourth wicket pair of Andre Fletcher who hit 41 in 21 balls inclusive of three boundaries and four sixes and Shakib Al Hasan who chipped in with 20 saw them through by associating in an unbroken 63 runs for them to race to the target in the eighth over.
Earlier Kandy Bolts taking first lease of the wicket lost their first two wickets with the score on five before Dinesh Chandimal who made  25 ball knock of 66 with seven boundaries and five sixes and Chandrapaul Hemiraj put on a valuable 73 runs for the third wicket to help them recover to make 106 which proved to be insufficient.
Today three matches are down for decision starting from 4.00 p.m with Kandy Bolts meeting Nuwara Eliya Kings, Galle Marvels vs Hambantota Bangla Tigers and Jaffna Titans vs Colombo Jaguars.

Results:
At Pallekele - Jaffna Titans won by eight wickets 
Hambantota Bangla Tigers 106 for 8 in 10 overs (Dasun Shanaka 51, Mohammad Shahzad 22: Traveen Mathew 4/10)
Jaffna Titans 107 for 2 in 8.1 overs (Tom Kohler Cadmore 57 n.o.:, Tom Abell 22 n.o.)
At Pallekele - No Result 
Nuwara Eliya Kings 79 for 1 in 6 overs (Avishka Fernando 50 n.o.) vs the Colombo Jaguars 
At Pallekele - Galle Marvels won by seven wickets 
Kandy Bolts 100 for 5 in 10 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 66: Binura Fernando 3/9)
Galle Marvels 102 for 3 in 7.4 overs (Alex Hales 23, Andre Fletcher 41 n.o., Shakib Al  Hasan 20 n.o.: Binura Fernando 2/21)