Jaffna Stallions came from behind with a tremendous performance to beat Dambulla Viiking by 37 runs in their Lanka Premier League (LPL) T20 Cricket Tournament second semi-final fixture played under lights at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota, yesterday.
The Stallions were almost down and out after their batsmen struggled to put up a big score on the board as they finished with a modest 165 for nine in 20 overs.
But their bowlers made amends on the field and went on to make life miserable for the Viiking batsmen through some disciplined bowling backed up by clever fielding as they set up a final showdown with the Galle Gladiators.
Opener Niroshan Dickwella kept Viiking’s hopes alive to a great extent while stroking five boundaries during his 18-ball 29. But the game was good as over for Viiking once Upul Tharanga departed for a painstaking 33 in the 15th over with the score at 96 for seven.
Earlier, Johnson Charles hit a maiden LPL half-century to help the Jaffna Stallions reach a respectable 165 for nine wickets from their 20 overs after they had been invited to bat first.
The 31-year-old right-hand opening batsman from St. Lucia produced his best batting performance of the tournament to hit a top score of 76 from 56 deliveries, inclusive of one six and 10 boundaries.
Charles, whose previous best score in this tournament was 17 against the Kandy Tuskers, played the sheet anchor role and was eventually sixth out with the total at 146 in the 17th over.
The dashing wicket-keeper batsman took the Stallions off to a great start while putting on 68 for the first wicket 8.3 overs, along with his partner Avishka Fernando who hoisted four sixes and struck two boundaries during his 26-ball 39.
Charith Asalanka joined Charles in the middle and the pair began to consolidate their position while adding 43 for the second-wicket in four overs as the Stallions brought up their one hundred in 11.4 overs.
But thereafter, the Stallions lost wickets at regular intervals and struggled to put up a competitive score on the board against some accurate bowling from Malinda Pushpakumara (2/24), Anwar Ali, and Lahiru Kumara.
The Stallions were also responsible for their downfall as they threw away a couple of important wickets through some careless running between the wickets as the last five wickets fell for the addition of just 24 runs.
Chief scores:
Jaffna Stallions: 165/9 in 20 overs (Avishka Fernando 39, Johnson Charles 76, Malinda Pushpakumara 2/24)
Dambulla Viiking: 128 in 19.1 overs (Niroshan Dickwella 29, Upul Tharanga 33, Ramesh Mendis 26, Wanindu Hasaranga 3/15).
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