Mathews guides to Colombo Stars victory
Skipper Angelo Mathews made a superb knock of 73 as Colombo Stars defeated Galle Gladiators by 41 runs in their LPL match played at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Galle Gladiators chasing a target of 163 runs were 81 for 2 wickets after 9.5 overs ultimately were bowled out for 121 in 16.5 overs. Opener Kusal Mendis made a good fighting knock of 64 in 39 balls hitting seven fours and a six but was not enough to reach their target with Colombo Stars bowlers fighting back strongly.
Earlier, Colombo Stars chose to bat first without any hesitation to make a competitive total. Skipper Angelo Mathews, who came to the game for the first time after his injury, made a superb batting display as an opener while Pathum Nissanka was sent back to the pavilion by Samit Patel in the first over scoring only one run.
However, Mathews was leading from the front added a 65 runs second-wicket stand with Ashan Priyanjan, who scored 23 in 16 balls with three fours was dismissed with a return catch nicely held by Isuru Udana. Mathews, who reached his 50 in just 42 balls used his experience to add more runs, especially from big strokes, was finally out for 73 runs trapped LBW to Mohammad Amir in 16th over. He hit 8 fours and 3 sixes in his 57 ball innings.
The informed right-hander Dinesh Chandimal who scored 64 runs in the previous game once again made a quick 36 in just 14 balls hit 4 boundaries and 2 sixes finally out off Dhananjaya Lakshan who got two wickets in two balls in the last over finished with 2 for 22 in his two-over spell while Samit Patel got 2 for 23 in his four-over spell. However, Isuru Udana who recall for this game conceded 22 runs in the 17th over finished 1 for 49 in four-over spell struggling over Colombo Stars who made a good total of 162 for 7 wickets.
The game was reduced to 18 over per side due to rain and it was started 75 minutes later at 8.45 pm.
Chief scores
Colombo Stars: 162/7 in 18 overs (Angelo Matthews 73, Ashan Priyanjan 23, Dinesh Chandimal 36, Samit Patel 2/23, Dhananjaya Lakshan 2/22)
Galle Gladiators: 121 all out in 16.5 overs (Kusal Mendis 64, Dhanushka Gunatilleke 14, Mohammad Hafeez 16, Samit Patel 11, Seekkuge Prasanna 2/23, Ravi Rampaul2/36, Naveen Ul Haq 3/27)