Kandy top table after Tharanga claims six for

Wrist spin had gone out of fashion in white ball cricket but it has once again emerged as a potent weapon with captains using the leg-spinner as an attacking option. Ravi Shastri during his tenure as Indian coach reinvented the importance of leg-spin in shorter formats of the game and currently you see other international cricket teams following suit. Yesterday it was Pulina Tharanga’s turn as National Super League witnessed the best bowling performance so far.

Tharanga finished with a six wicket haul to enable Kandy a 96 run win over Galle in the National Super League. That performance saw his team topping the table.

Having set a target of 270 at P. Sara Oval, stand-in captain Niroshan Dickwella sensed an opportunity and introduced spin early and Tharanga created havoc reducing Galle to 119 for eight. He had claimed a five wicket haul by then. He finished with six for 29 when he cleaned up Nimesh Vimukthi.

Tharanga, an orphan having lost both parents to the tsunami has been looked after by Foundation of Goodness in Seenigama run by former cricket board secretary and philanthropist Kushil Gunasekara. The leggie had made steady progress and was drafted into the World Cup squad last year as one of the standbys. He was understudy to Wanindu Hasaranga and many were surprised when Jeffrey Vandersay was picked ahead of him for the recent Zimbabwe series.

With his superb match winning effort yesterday Tharanga is back in contention and could be a fine addition to the senior side.

Tharanga was well backed up by Lasith Embuldeniya, who picked up two wickets. Pabasara Waduge top scored for Galle with a half-century.

Earlier, the Kandy top order had given them a good start but the middle order failed to finish off the job as they were bowled out with two overs to spare. However, a total of 269 proved to be a match winning one. Lahiru Udara top scored with 64 while Oshada Fernando continued his good form posting 56.

Meanwhile, Jaffna came up with a superb run chase thanks to their wicketkeeper batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama as they beat Colombo by six wickets with more than three overs to spare.

Chasing 248 to victory, Samarawickrama and Lahiru Thirimanne added 96 runs for the first wicket. Samarawickrama top scored with an unbeaten 91. He faced 95 deliveries and hit seven boundaries.

Brief Scores:

Kandy beat Galle by 96 runs:

Kandy

269 all out in 47.3 overs (Niroshan Dickwella 46, Lahiru Udara 63, Lasith Croospulle 46, Oshada Fernando 56, Akila Dananjaya 5/61)

Gall

e 173 all out in 42.2 overs (Pabasara  Waduge 50, Pulina Tharanga 6/29)

Jaffna beat Colombo by six wickets

Colombo

247/8 in 50 overs (Sammu Ashan 43, Lahiru Madushanka 42, Nimanda Madushanka 4/39)

Jaffna

248/4 in 46.4 overs (Sadeera Samarawickrama 91*, Lahiru Thirimanne 52)