Record opening stand gives Dambulla first win
View(s):Dambulla Aura claimed their first win in the ongoing Lanka Premier League season, beating Galle Gladiators by 48 runs in their sixth game played at the R Premadasa Stadium last evening.
Having suffered five losses on the trot, Dasun Shanaka led team were in a must win situation to have any hopes of qualifying for the play off and their batting finally clicked to give their a win.
Openers Shevon Daniel and Jordon Cox shared a record 163-run stand for the first wicket as Dambulla Aura hit a formidable 178 for 5, after they decided to bat first on a good batting track.
Daniel hit 80 and Cox scored 77 in a stunning partnership that saw Dambulla in total control until the last three overs of the match. Despite the record stand, they lost five wickets for just 15 runs at the death overs. The previous record was 156 made by Pathum Nissanka and Andre Fletcher against Colombo Stars this season.
Chasing the target, Galle Gladiators were never in control as they lost wickets at regular intervals and were eventually bowled out for 130 in the 4th ball of the final over. There was a 47-run stand for the third wicket between Lahiru Udara and Asad Shafiq after they lost both openers inside the first seven balls of their innings, but Dambulla came back strongly to seal their first win. Shanaka employed seven-bowlers with Pramod Madushan and Sikanda Raza were the pick of the bowlers claiming three and two wickets respectively.
| Chief scores: | |
| Dambulla Aura 178 for 5 (20) (Shevon Daniel 80, Jordan Cox 77; Nuwan Pradeep 3/37) Galle Gladiators 130 all out (19.4) (Lahiru Udara 32, Asad Shafiq 28, Iftikhar Ahmed 21; Sikanda Raza 2/5; Pramod Madushan 3/17) |