four to end the innings! More fun for Karunaratne. Another short ball on off, and turning away, as he rocks back to slash that to deep point, who tries to intervene with his right boot, but the ball slides through. Kings make the LPL 2021 final with a 23-run win
Jaffna vs Dambulla, Qualifier 2 at Hambantota, LPL, Dec 21 2021 - Ball by Ball Commentary
With that, we wrap up proceedings for the day. Jaffna Kings meet Galle Gladiators in the final two days from today in a repeat of last year's final, and don't forget to tune in for the same. Until then, it is goodnight from Ranjith and me, Himanshu!
Thisara Perera, the winning captain: "Really happy today with the way our batters batted. We were under pressure after losing the first match. As a unit, everything was done really well today. My boys did a good job today, and hopefully they can do it in the final."
Niroshan Dickwella, Giants captain: "Bowling and fielding let us down. We have a good fielding side, but today everyone made mistakes and bowlers didn't execute. 210 was too much on this wicket, and around 180-185 would have easier to chase down. We let ourselves down as a team. "
Avishka Fernando is the Player of the Match: "I am extremely pleased with the hundred. I was slightly disturbed in the last game, and did better today."
Time for the presentations
Tharanga: "@Chat, very tru point made there. I feel however that breeding more youngsters is only possible through diversity in teams. What I mean is Jaffna team is surprisingly but unacceptably stronger than the other teams. When you've your countries best two spinners in the same team, it speaks for itself."
Damian: "Team for the Eastern province.Trinco Sharks"
11.18pm Much closer in the end, but that fight was too little and too late from Giants. A couple of starts by their batters were thrown away, always a caveat in a mountain of a chase. Karunaratne provided some late entertainment with an unbeaten 47-ball 75, but just one handy contribution while trying to hunt down 211 was always going to be too less.
another shortish ball on middle, and he makes room to cut to deep point. They pocket two, with the bails being flicked by the bowler rather belatedly
short delivery again on off, and pulled to long-on. They don't run
four byes behind the wicket. Tries to slog that pretty full ball outside leg but misses, as the ball then ends up beating him, the stumps and the keeper
short again on middle and off, and pulled between long-on and deep midwicket. Oh what Giants would give for these runs much earlier
short and wide of off, and slashed away to the left of deep extra cover
Chaturanga will bowl the last over. Around the wicket.
Chat: "@Tharanga: I really hope that no new teams are added in the short to medium term. We have a very mediocre domestic structure because there are way too many teams. Let us not destroy quality for quantity."
lands a yorker bang on middle, as Pradeep plays that like a low full-toss to jam it back
Pradeep is the last man. Seales from over the wicket.
taken by mid-off! Tahir now tries to repeat what Karunaratne did earlier in the over, but fails to clear the fielder. It was a full ball outside off, and he presented the full face of the bat to try and loft, but that shot lacked power, as Malik took it easy to his left
Manvendra Singh: "@santo what about hambantota hurricanes"
good length ball just outside off, and pushed to extra cover from deep in the crease
excellent shot! He holds the pose there too. Full ball and right in the slot outside off, and he lofts that again with high elbows. Out of the reach of the bowler's outstretched right hand
Mid-off out and fine leg in
sends that sailing over mid-off! Pretty full ball on off, and he lofts that with high elbows to lift that very high, with the fielder being placed inside the circle
swing and a miss. The ball is much fuller and just outside off, and he swings to the leg side early while getting beaten by the lack of pace
wide ball. Short and outside leg, and he pulls but misses. First bouncer called
Santo: "Seales, ratanayake, noor, liyanage and few instances of nissanka.. overall a wonderful tournament for youngsters.. actually LPL could just extend to one more franchise .. this is just appetizer stuff tournament and wanting for more!"
swatted to mid-off. Short delivery outside off, and he rides the bounce to clobber that to the man inside the circle
fifty for Karunaratne. Short delivery outside off, and pulled to deep square leg, who fumbles while collecting the ball
18 off the over, and Perera comes from around the wicket
six over fine leg, phew! Karunaratne moves to 49. Short of a length ball on middle and off, and he is across off to pull that powerfully and high over the man on the boundary
and some late entertainment here! Three fours in a row. He opens the bat and slices that good length ball wide of off, and finds the gap between third man and deep point
four more, this time to deep extra cover! Slower ball, and full and wide of off. He smashes that to beat extra cover to his left while playing with an almost angled bat
Tharanaga: "Jaffna is too strong of a team, with star spinners Theekshana and Hasarananga and a really strong batting lineup. A possible increase in teams next season to split players out would possibly be the solution."
change of pace, and Karunaratne crashes that for four. Places that good length ball outside off between the stumps and the non-striker, and to the left of long-on
very short outside off, and pulled to the right of mid-on after climbing on to it
Over 20 • DG 187/9
Jaffna won by 23 runs