Colombo North and Kandy enter final

Colombo North and Galle teams recorded victories in the matches held yesterday on the fifth day of the Under 17 Youth League cricket tournament organised by Sri Lanka Cricket for young players.

With these victories, the Colombo North team won all the 4 matches they participated in and took the lead in the points table as undefeated and booked a place in the finals, while the Kandy team was able to join the finals by occupying the second place in the points table.

In this tournament, the Kandy team as well as Galle recorded two victories each, and Kandy won a place in the final match based on the gross score speed.

The final between these two teams is scheduled to be held today (29).

The Colombo North team defeated the Dambulla team by 8 wickets at the Kurunegala Welagedara Stadium, while the Galle team defeated the Kandy team by 4 wickets in their match held in Dambulla. After restricting the Dambulla team to 117 runs in 33 overs at Welagedara, the North Colombo players achieved the winning target in 29.4 overs losing only 2 wickets.

Ashan Dabare scored an unbeaten 57 off 77 balls with 5 fours and a six, while Sharujan Shanmuganathan added 37 runs in the innings.

In the match held at the Dambulla ground, the Galle players, who stopped the Kandy team by 242 runs, recorded their second victory in this tournament after losing 6 wickets in 35.5 overs.

Dinura Abeywickrama scored 78 runs, Dinura Kalupahana scored (73) and Ravishan Nethsara scored (56) to lead the Galle team to victory. Akila Wickramasinghe took 4 wickets while bowling. Supun Waduge (78) and Manula Kularathna (50) scored half-centuries for Kandy, who batted first, while Sadev Gamage and Sanju Dilshan took 3 wickets each.

Chief scores

Colombo North-Dambulla

Dambulla – 117 (33 overs) N. Ebenezer 48 (Garuka Sank 27/5, Tanuga Palihawadana 24/3)

Colombo North – 118/2 (29.4 overs) Ashan Dabare 57 not out, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 37 not out

Galle-Kandy

Kandy – 242 (49.5 overs) Supun Waduge 78, Manula Kularathna 50 not out (Sadev Gamage 26/3, Sanju Dilshan 47/3, Senita Halambage 36/2)

Galle – 246/6 (35.5 overs) Dinura Abeywickrama 78, Dinura Kalupahana 73, Ravishan Nethsara 56 (Akila Wickramasinghe 43/4)