SLC Invitational T20 AVISHKA, CHANDIMAL GUIDE SLC REDS TO FIRST WIN

Avishka Fernando top scored 82 not out for SLC Reds

BY M. SHAMIL AMIT

Openers Avishka Fernando and skipper Dinesh Chandimal guided SLC Reds to their first win of the ongoing SLC Invitational T20 tournament which is in progress now at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium when the pair laid the foundation to record a convincing ten wicket win over SLC Greens in the match played in the afternoon session yesterday.

Avishka who was unable to make any impression in the previous two matches came back to form when he slammed a swashbuckling 53 ball unbeaten knock of 82 runs that included four boundaries and six sixes and shared a match winning 133 runs opening wicket stand with skipper Chandimal who was forced to retire in the 16th over when he was on 51 due to an injury, in pursuit of SLC Reds run chase of 144 runs.. The pair having almost hit the nail in the coffin it was just left to be seen how soon the SLC Reds will coast to victory and they raced to the target with ease in the over to record their first win.

Earlier in day SLC Greens skipper Ashan Priyanjan who too was looking for their first win of the tournament winning the toss and electing to take first lease of the wicket lost four early wickets with the score on 52 in the 11th over before man in form Kamindu Mendis who made a top score of 66 in 43 balls which was his third successive half ton and Sammu Ashan came to their rescue with a valuable 75 runs stand for the fifth wicket for SLC Reds to post a score of 143 for 7 which proved to be insufficient and to prevent them from crashing to their third successive defeat.

RESULT
At Pallekele Stadium – SLC Reds won
by ten wickets
SLC Greens 143 for 7 in 20 overs
(Kamindu Mendis 66, Sammu Ashan 29,
Krishan Sanjula 15: Chamika Karunaratne
3 for 26, Seekuge Prasanna 2 for 20)
SLC Reds 144 for 0 in 17.3 overs
(Dinesh Chandimal rtd hrt 51, Avishka
Fernando 82 not out)