A career-best five-wicket haul by Kasun Rajitha set up an easy nine-wicket victory for the
Colombo Stars at Pallekele today as they handed Dambulla Aura their fifth loss in as
many games this season.
The Dambulla batting line-up, which has failed to find its feet all tournament, got off to the
worst possible start, with Rajitha sending openers Lasith Croospulle and Shevon Daniel back
to the pavilion in the very first over of the game.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa followed in the next over, slapping Suranga Lakmal to cover, and things
went from bad to worse in Rajitha’s second over when he cleaned up Englishman Tom Abell
with a sharp inswinger, which could pose a strong claim for the delivery of the tournament.
Jordan Cox and Dasun Shanaka attempted a counter-attack and took the score to 51 in the
fifth over, but with both falling in quick succession, any hopes of Dambulla posting a semi-
competitive total disappeared.
Pramod Madushan, at number ten, fought to make 23 not out, but that proved to be his side’s
highest score for the night, as Jeffrey Vandersay with two wickets, and Rajitha returning for
his second spell, cleaned up the tail to dismiss Dambulla Aura for just 89 runs with more than
six overs left to play.
There was a momentary spark in defence of their target as Madushan castled Niroshan
Dickwella with his first ball, but that was all the joy Dambulla were to get, as Dinesh
Chandimal and Charith Asalanka put on an unbeaten 90-run stand in to give Colombo Stars
their third win of the tournament with eight over to spare in the chase.
Asalanka, in particular, put the lacklustre opposition to the sword, scoring an unbeaten 58,
which included five fours and four sixes in thirty-six balls. Chandimal, at the opposite end,
hit the winning runs to finish off not out on 31.
The win took Colombo Stars to third place in the points table, while Dambulla Aura’s poor
performance leaves them sitting in last place and having a tough ask ahead of them in order
to challenge for one of the four play-off spots on offer.
Scores:
Dambulla Aura: 89 in 13.5 overs (P Madushan 23 no, D Shanaka 20, K Rajitha 5 for 22, J
Vandersay 2 for 10)
Colombo Stars: 90 for 1 in 11.3 overs (C Asalanka 58 no, D Chandimal 31 no)
