Opener Pawan Ratnayake shone with a fine knock of 62 and was well supported by Sonal Dinusha in Dambulla’s five-wicket win against Jaffna in the final of the National Super League limited over tournament played at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Ratnayake laid the foundation for Dambulla’s run chase of 161 with his knock which came off 80 balls that included six boundaries and a six. 

He also associated in two fruitful partnerships after they underwent an early setback having lost two wickets within four overs with six runs on the board.

Ratnayake’s first partnership was of 73 runs for the third wicket with Ashan Priyanjan who made 33 with four boundaries and this followed with a 40-run stand for the fourth wicket with Sonal Dinusha.

Dinusha and Dushan Hemantha brought Dambulla closer to the target with the pair putting on a brief 33-run stand for the fifth wicket before Sonal, who remained unbeaten on 45 made in 52 balls with four boundaries, guided them to reach the target with ease in the 39th over.

The win meant that Dambulla were able to achieve a double, having earlier bagged the National Super League four-day title.

Earlier in the day Jaffna skipper Janith Liyanage won the toss and elected to take first lease of the wicket and his openers Navod Paranavithana and Nishan Madushka giving them a sedate start putting on 31 runs. 

Paranavithana along with Kasun Abeyratne added 37 runs for the second wicket and Jaffna were making steady progress with the score on 68 for 2 in the 14th over.

But they fell back after the third wicket that of skipper Liyanage who put on a brief stand of 28 runs for Paranavithana.

From a healthy position of 96 for 2 they lost four quick wickets for the addition of just three runs and slid to 99 for 6 at the halfway stage of the innings.

The dismissal of Paranavithana, who made 51 with six boundaries, which was the seventh wicket, put them in a spot of bother with the score on 108 for 7 in the 29th over.

Dilum Sudeera and Jeffrey Vandersay came to the rescue of the side with the pair putting on a valuable 35 runs for the eighth wicket before being bowled out for 160 runs.

Result:

Jaffna 160 in 47.3 overs (Navod Paranavithana 51, Dilum Sudeera 23, Kasun Abeyratne 17, Janith Liyanage 16, Jeffrey Vandersay 26 n.o.: Lakshan Sandakan 3 for 22, Dushan Hemantha 3 for 22, Sonal Dinusha 3 for 33).
Dambulla 163 for 5 in 39 overs (Pawan Ratnayake 62, Ashan Priyanjan 33, Dushan Hemantha 15, Sonal Dinusha 45 n.o.: Binura Fernando 2 for 17, Jeffrey Vandersay 2 for 48). By M. Shamil Amit