Galle Titans win through a Super Over after ‘Negombo Nailer' and 'Sweepologist' produce a tie in the second match of skyfair.news Lanka Premier League 2023

 By K.R. Nayar

Two cricketers, one nicknamed 'Negombo Nailer' and another called 'Sweepologist,' produced a brilliant show to ensure that the second match of the skyfair.news Lanka Premier League 2023 resulted in a tie. However, in the Super Over, Galle Titans beat the spirited Dambulla Aura at the Colombo R. Premadasa Stadium on Monday.

 


Dasun Shanaka, skipper of Galle Titans, nicknamed ‘Negombo Nailer’ after his birthplace Negombo and his style of batting, cracked an unbeaten 42 to give his team a total of 180 for 5 in 20 overs. He also bowled brilliantly, taking three wickets for 27 runs from his four overs. However, the hero who ensured the tie for Dambulla was Australia's Alex Ross through an unbeaten 39. Ross, once addressed as 'Sweepologist' by TV commentators during the Big Bash League (BBL), was backed by Dhananjaya de Silva (43) and Kusal Perera (40) in the stupendous chase that equaled the score at 180 for 7 in 20 overs.

 

Alex Ross ... fighting unbeaten 39

The action began with Dambulla winning the toss and electing to field. Galle Titans opener Lasith Croospulle was clean bowled by Shahnawaz Dahani for 3. Opener Shevon Daniel and Bhanuka Rajapaksa took the total to 72 in 8.3 overs when Binura Fernando trapped Shevon leg before for 33. Bhanuka Rajapaksa missed his half-century by two runs when Dhananjaya de Silva got him out. Though Shakib Al Hasan and Tim Seifert chipped in with scores of 23 and 14, respectively, it was the captain’s knock from Dasun Shanaka of 42 n.o that gave Galle Titans a total of 180 for 5 in 20 overs.

 

Top scores for Galle Titans and sparkles in Super Over 

The chase towards Galle Titans' impressive total was brilliant. From a poor start, losing opener Avishka Fernando to the fifth ball in the first over to Kasun Rajitha for 1, and Kusal Mendis falling in the third over to Vishwa Fernando, Dambulla fought back. Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva took the score to 78 when Perera got out to Dasun Shanaka for 40. Dasun also got Dhananjaya de Silva out for 43. Though Shakib Al Hasan got Sadeera Samarawickrama out for 13, Alex Ross took up the challenge and carried the score to 180 for 7 in 20 overs with support from Ravindu Fernando (13) and Hayden Kerr (20).

 


In the Super Over, Dambulla scored 9 for 1.  Galle Titans’ Rajapaksa hit a boundary off the first ball from Fernando and the third ball for a six over long-on to win the match.

 

Kusal Mendis, Dambulla Aura’s captain, attributed the defeat to giving away too many runs in the last overs. "In the last three overs, we gave away a few loose runs. Also, Avishka and I didn't start well in the first six overs."

 

Dasun Shanaka, who won the Player of the Match award for his 42 off 21 balls and three-wicket spell, said: "I am really pleased with the way we played today. We should have done better with our bowling, but all credit to their (Dambulla Aura) batsmen."

 

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