Colts CC continue unbeaten run with victory over Galle CC

Duckworth/Lewis was the decider at Colts cricket grounds today as the match between Colts CC and Galle CC ended with a victory for Colts after heavy rain play at 4.00 pm.

Galle, chasing a victory target of 227 runs in 50 overs, were 86 for the loss of five wickets in the 29th over when the two umpires called off play due to rain and returned to the pavilion to inspect their Duckworth Lewis calculation tables.

According to the Duckworth/Lewis system, Galle who had lost five wickets in 29 overs, needed to have scored over 133 runs to pull a win. They thus lost the match by 47 runs.

Galle CC had no reason to be aggrieved as Colts looked to be certain of victory having polished off the Galle CC middle order. They started their run chase disastrously and, with the exception of opening batsman Dammika Sudarshana, who made 31 runs, none of the Galle batsmen settled at the crease.

They struggled against a strong pace attack led by Eric Upashantha. He captured two wickets for 25 runs in seven overs, while Kaushalya Weeraratne finished with one for 11 in three overs.

Earlier in the day Colts had elected to bat first but suffered an early shock when last weeks Centurion, Romesh Kaluwitharana, was run out in the first over even without facing a ball.

Then Chaminda Mendis(47) and Jeevantha Kulatunga(25) laid the foundation for a big score, before Kulatunga was out in the 10th over with the total on 54. Sajith Fernando(29) joined Mendis and kept up the fast run rate as Colts reached the hundred mark in the 17th over.

However, a superb spell of bowling by Saman Fonseka who captured four for 45 and Pasan Wanasinghe with three for 33, restricted Colts to 226 runs in 47.3 overs. Viraj Perera chipped in with two for 53.

Ruchira Karunasena, who was responsible for the dismissal of Kaluwitharana, was brilliant in the field, taking three superb catches.