NWP in easy 127 run win over Western Province South

by Chris Dhambarage

North Western Province spearheaded by some splendid fast bowling from Shalika Karunanayake cruised to an easy 127 run victory over Western Province South in the opening match of the Sri Lanka Cricket organized Inter Provincial limited overs cricket tournament worked off under lights at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Karunanayake who recently guided his club SSC towards winning the Premier division one Tier A title, produced a superb hostile spell of bowling to return outstanding figures of five wickets for 58 runs. As a result Western Province South were bundled out for just 126 runs after they were set a victory target of 254 from 50 overs.

Man of the match Karunanayake who shared the new ball with left arm paceman Chanaka Welagedera struck some early blows as North Western Province made certain that there will be no contest at the end. In fact Western Province South were virtually out of the game after they had lost their top five batsmen for just 76 runs by the 15th over of the innings.

Their victory of course was somewhat delayed by Milinda Siriwardena who hit a top score of 32 from 39 deliveries with six boundaries. But the three pronged pace attack of Karunanayake, Welagedera and Amarasinghe played havoc with the Western Province South innings lasting just 28.1 overs.

Earlier the North Western Province innings was built around two solid partnerships for the second and fifth wicket respectively. Opener Mahela Udawatte (55) and Lanka de Silva (48) put on 75 runs for the second wicket in 12 overs after skipper Mahela Jayawardena had won the toss and elected to bat first.

Udawatte hoisted two sixes and struck eight boundaries during his 66 ball knock while Lanka de Silva stroked six boundaries facing just 44 deliveries. However North Western Province lost two quick wickets and slumped to 143 for 4 at one stage with leg spinner Malinga Bandara causing the damage.

All rounder Jeewantha Kulatunga joined Jehan Mubarak in the 28th over and the pair steadied the innings with a further 72 runs for the fifth wicket. Kulatunga dominated the partnership with a hard hit 44 which contained one six and three boundaries.

In contrast Mubarak played the sheet anchor role while keeping one end occupied and was eight out for a well compiled 44 with the total on 242 in the 48th over of the innings.

Malinga Bandara finished with the best bowling figures of four wickets for 41 runs.

NORTH WESTERN PROVINCE

M. van Dort c R. Perera b Kottahewa	 12
M. Udawatte lbw b Bandara	 	 55
L. de Silva c Jayawardena b Bandara	 48
M. Jayawardena run out	 		 17
J. Mubarak run out	 		 43
J. Kulatunga c Kottahewa b Bandara	 44
S. Karunanayake c Jayawardena b R. Perera 5
R. Herath b Bandara	  		  2
A. Mendis not out	 		 12
C. Welagedera b Zoysa	  		  0
I. Amarasinghe not out	  		  1
Extras (lb2, w11, nb1)	 		 14
TOTAL (for 9 wickets in 50 overs)	253

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-39, 2-114, 3-136, 4-143, 
		 5-215, 6-228, 7-237, 8-242, 9-242.

BOWLING: N. Zoysa 9-1-46-1, 
	 R. Perera 8-0-53-1, 
	 T. Kottahewa 8-1-32-1, 
	 T. Dilshan  9-0-51-0, 
	 H. Fernando 1-0-8-0, 
	 M. Bandara 10-0-41-4, 
	D. Perera 5-0-21-0.

WESTERN PROVINCE SOUTH
D. Perera c Kulatunga b Welagedera	 14
T. Dilshan c Kulatunga b Karunanayake	  4
P. Jayawardena c de Silva b Karunanayake 21
H. Fernando b Karunanayake	 	 12
C. Silva c de Silva b Amarasinghe	  1
M. Siriwardena c Jayawardena b Mendis	 32
M. Warnapura lbw b Karunanayake	  	  7
M. Bandara c de Silva b Karunanayake	  0
N. Zoysa c de Silva b Amarasinghe	  2
T. Kottahewa not out	  		  5	
R. Perera st. de Silva b Mendis	  	  0
Extras (lb8, w18, nb2)	 28
TOTAL (all out in 28.1 overs)		126

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-11, 2-39, 3-64, 4-71, 5-76, 
		 6-95, 7-97, 8-100, 9-126.

BOWLING: C. Welagedera 6-1-18-1, S. 
	 Karunanayake 10-0-58-5, I. 
	 Amarasinghe 6-2- 21-2, 
	 R. Herath 4-1-14-0, 
	 A. Mendis 2.1-0-7-2.