Colombo Kings who put up a belligerent performance to halt the unbeaten run of the Jaffna Stallions, will meet the Galle Gladiators while Jaffna Stallions will face an acid test when they take on the Dambulla Viiking in their ‘My11Circle’ Lanka Premier League(LPL) Cricket Tournament matches at the MRICS, Hambantota today commencing from 3.30 p.m. After a convincing six wicket win over the high riding Jaffna Stallions last Friday, Colombo Kings made the tournament wide open and is now evenly poised with the top three teams securing eight points each with four wins in their five outings so far.
It was the Jaffna guys led by Thisara Perera who were in the fray until they tasted their first defeat against the Colombo lads. Angelo Mathews the Colombo skipper perfectly executed the well-drawn plan to curtail the Jaffna firepower especially to restrict the dangerous Thisara Perera, who demolished several bowling attacks in their earlier games.
Moreover, they are likely to stick to the same winning eleven which played the last game. The net run rate will play a pivotal role in deciding the top team in the points table as all three teams managed to secure an equal number of wins so far. Meanwhile, the Galle Gladiators have had a tough time in clicking as a unit after the exit of their regular skipper Shahid Afridi who departed back home due to family commitments. Their ground fielding is one area which was instrumental in their downfall and even after scoring challenging totals.
They now have a herculean task in securing a maiden win even after Dhanushka Gunathilaka executing the all-important start in most of the matches which the rest of the batsmen failed to carry on building formidable totals to defend.
Subsequently Gunathilaka is the highest run getter of the tournament with 284 runs inclusive of three half centuries with a best knock of 82 runs.
As per their team sources the coach Moin Khan the former Pakistani wicket keeper batsman is fully focused to put up an improved performance today where the playing eleven will be decided before the game.
The second game between Jaffna Stallions and Dambulla Viikings is going to be a nail biting contest under lights.
Dhasun Shanaka and his team Dambulla Viikings is in prime form. They too have notched up four wins in their four outings so far. Even though they do not possess some big named players from the foreign arena, Shanaka has managed with the available resources to keep the momentum on.
They too are yet to finalize their final eleven which will be decided on the day of the match.
Jaffna Stallions have a slight edge over their rivals compared to the past performance. But cricket which is an unpredictable game is capable of swinging the pendulum either way. The team which has a strategic plan according to their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses will come out as winners.
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