Get Ball by Ball Commentary of Jaffna Kings vs Galle Gladiators, Lanka Premier League 2022, 1st Match

And, that will be a wrap from us for this game. But don't worry, the action comes thick and fast at this year's LPL, with Colombo Stars taking on Kandy Falcons in a few minutes' time. Till then, this is me (Shashwat) on behalf of Ranjith, signing off. Goodbye, take care!

Thisara Perera, Jaffna Kings captain: I am trusting my bowlers because I feel this wicket was a little sticky. I know I have wonderful bowlers. (On the pressure of being defending champions) This is another tournament and we are going game by game.

Kusal Mendis, Galle Gladiators captain: (Where did it go wrong) Opening partnership was good but after that we lost a lot of wickets. That is why we made 138 look like a big score. Earlier, it was easy to bat against the new ball. As the ball got old, it was tough to play normal shots. The wicket was a little slow and that is why we lost wickets in the middle.

Dunith Wellalage, Player of the Match: (On your performance) I was trying to play my normal game. My teammates gave me great support, as did my team management. I tried to keep things simple. The wicket was turning so I always tried to do my normal bowling.

Right. Time for the post-match presentation.

6:45pm Phew, that was some game! It ebbed and flowed throughout and up until the final five overs, it was anybody's game. The Gladiators were perhaps better in both powerplays and in the death overs of the first innings. But when it mattered, especially in the middle overs of the run-chase, the Kings came up trumps. They rode on their young spin duo of Viyaskanth and Wellalage, who caused the Gladiators all sorts of problems with their flight, drift and dip. The wicket also aided their endeavours and once Theekshana came back to outwit Mendis in the 16th over, the writing was on the wall for last year's runners-up. This contest, if anything, proved why the Jaffna Kings have won two LPL titles on the bounce and how they are equipped to win different types of games. Word has to go out to Wellalage too, whose cameo in the first innings possibly ended up being the difference today.

As for the Gladiators, there were plenty of positives, most notably how they bowled and how Mendis batted, despite being up against a turning track. Their bowling unit also did largely well, with Imad Wasim and Wahab among the wickets. On the night, though, it was not enough.

END OF OVER:
20 | (wicket maiden) | GG: 113/10 (25 runs required, RR: 5.65)

Pulina Tharanga1 (4b)

Binura Fernando3-1-22-3
James Fuller4-0-19-1

19.6

B Fernando to Thushara, OUT, another wicket to polish off what has turned out to be a convincing win in the end! Length delivery on leg stump that hurtles through. Thushara has a nibble at it, more in hope than anything else, and feathers it through to the keeper. An apt way to cap off an outstanding bowling display! This is also the lowest total that has been defended at this venue in the history of the LPL!

N Thushara c sub (†S Samarawickrama) b B Fernando 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Thushara comes out to face the final ball

19.5

B Fernando to Pradeep, OUT, straight to the fielder at long on! Back of a length delivery on leg stump. Pradeep backs away and finally gets some decent contact. Such is his luck, though, that he arrows it straight down long on's throat. Been that kind of a day with the bat for the Gladiators!

N Pradeep c Shoaib Malik b B Fernando 1 (7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 14.28

19.4

B Fernando to Pradeep, no run, a carbon copy of the previous delivery. Dug into the track and it cramps Pradeep for room. He tries to smash it away but is too late on the stroke

19.3

B Fernando to Pradeep, no run, banged into the track at the batter on leg stump. Pradeep, well, has another swipe at it, and misses

Four sixes needed to tie the game now

19.2

B Fernando to Pradeep, no run, another back of a length delivery outside off stump. Pradeep has another wild swing at it and only swats away a few flies in the process

19.1

B Fernando to Pradeep, no run, length delivery on middle and leg stump. Pradeep has an agricultural hack at it and makes absolutely no contact

25 runs needed off the final over. The Gladiators need six boundaries, just to tie things up. Surely this is beyond their grasp now? Binura to bowl the last over

END OF OVER:
19 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | GG: 113/8 (25 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 5.94, RRR: 25.00)

Pulina Tharanga1 (4b)
Nuwan Pradeep1 (2b)

James Fuller4-0-19-1
Binura Fernando2-0-22-1

18.6

Fuller to Tharanga, no run, short delivery outside off stump that skids through. Tharanga continues swinging and to his frustration, continues missing

18.5

Fuller to Tharanga, no run, full delivery darted into the batter on leg stump. Tharanga backs away and drills it straight back to the bowler, who manages to rein it in

18.4

Fuller to Tharanga, no run, length delivery outside off stump. Tharanga swings for the hills but only connects with fresh air

18.3

Fuller to Pradeep, 1 run, full delivery on middle and off stump. Pradeep backs away and slices it towards deep cover point for just a single

18.2

Fuller to Pradeep, no run, back of a length delivery outside off stump. Pradeep throws the kitchen sink at it but misses the ball by an absolute mile

Pradeep joins Tharanga in the middle

18.1

Fuller to Wahab Riaz, 1 run, OUT, back of a length delivery slanted into the batter on middle and leg stump. Wahab has a cramped swipe at it and miscues it towards mid wicket. He then hares back for the second and has to stretch to make his ground. But to no avail, because the throw and the keeper is quick enough to catch him short of his ground

Wahab Riaz run out 4 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 133.33

27 runs needed off the last 12 balls. The Gladiators need five boundaries. Who is going to get them, though? Fuller to bowl the penultimate over

END OF OVER:
18 | 11 Runs 1 Wkt | GG: 111/7 (27 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.16, RRR: 13.50)

Wahab Riaz3 (2b)
Pulina Tharanga1 (1b)

Binura Fernando2-0-22-1
James Fuller3-0-17-1

17.6

B Fernando to Wahab Riaz, 1 run, another bumper outside off stump. Wahab gives it everything he has but can only drag it towards long on for a single

17.5

B Fernando to Wahab Riaz, 2 runs, dropped, oh my! Dug into the track just outside off stump. Wahab has a swipe across the line and shanks it towards long on. The fielder runs in and dives forward but can't hold onto the chance

Wahab Riaz on strike now

17.4

B Fernando to Imad Wasim, OUT, is there a nick? Yes, there is! This could be the game! Banged into the track and this one is angled into the batter. Imad tries to give himself room but is always cramped for it. He tries to slash it away but the awkward position he gets himself into means that he can only nick it through to the keeper

Imad Wasim c sub (†S Samarawickrama) b B Fernando 17 (22b 0x4 1x6) SR: 77.27

17.3

B Fernando to Tharanga, 1 run, short delivery just outside off stump. Tharanga lets the ball come to him before guiding it down to third man for a single

Tharanga in at 8

17.2

B Fernando to Imad Wasim, 1 run, back of a length delivery just outside off stump. Imad hops up onto his toes and runs it down to the sweeper at third man for a single

17.1

B Fernando to Imad Wasim, SIX, no, he can't! In the slot on middle and leg stump. Imad dances down the track and pumps it over the bowler's head for a maximum! What a shot under pressure!

Binura comes back into the attack. Can he get the better of Imad?

A lot rests on Imad now. He is the senior batter and has more batting pedigree than the others to come. So far, though, he has looked very scratchy at the crease. Something will have to change drastically for the Gladiators to get past the finish line now

END OF OVER:
17 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | GG: 100/6 (38 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.88, RRR: 12.66)

Imad Wasim10 (19b)

James Fuller3-0-17-1
Maheesh Theekshana4-0-24-1

16.6

Fuller to Ashan, OUT, edged and taken! Another batter bites the dust! Full delivery outside off stump and this one seems to move away very late. Ashan has a loose drive at it without any conviction and feathers it through to the keeper, who gobbles up the chance!

S Ashan c sub (†S Samarawickrama) b Fuller 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

Required run rate up to 12 runs per over now. 38 needed off 19 balls

16.5

Fuller to Imad Wasim, 1 run, length delivery on middle and leg stump. Imad clears his front leg and slogs it down the ground towards long on for just another single

16.4

Fuller to Imad Wasim, no run, back of a length delivery that nips away sharply. Imad is taken aback by the movement and is beaten all ends up. That seamed away quite a bit!

16.3

Fuller to Imad Wasim, no run, back of a length delivery outside off stump. Imad gets onto the back foot and defends the ball towards backward point

16.2

Fuller to Ashan, 1 run, length delivery outside off stump. Ashan opens the face of the bat very late and guides it down to third man for a single

Ashan is the new batter at the crease. Can he produce something special? He has an overall career T20 strike rate of just under 116

16.1

Fuller to Imad Wasim, 1 run, back of a length delivery outside off stump. Imad gets up on his toes and chops the ball into the off side for just another single

Fuller to bowl the 17th over

What a way to go into this final timeout. The Kings have the wicket they dearly wanted and the Gladiators now have an almighty mountain to climb. 41 runs needed off the final four overs, and with Mendis back in the shed, the Kings would be disappointed to not seal a win from this point

Galle INNINGS		R	B
MNK Fernando	caught wk	15	21
BKG Mendis	lbw	51	43
Azam Khan	caught	5	6
M Subasingha	run out	2	3
Iftikhar Ahmed	caught	6	8
Imad Wasim	caught wk	17	22
S Ashan	caught wk	1	2
DHAP Tharanga	not out	1	4
Wahab Riaz	run out	4	3
N Pradeep	caught	1	7
N Thushara	caught wk	0	1
EXTRAS	(b 3, lb 2, w 5)
TOTAL	113 (all out; 20 ovs)

Jaffna BOWLING	O	M	R	W	Econ
NLTC Perera	1.0	0	4	0	4.00
M Theekshana	4.0	0	24	1	6.00	(3w)
B Fernando	3.0	1	22	3	7.33
JK Fuller	4.0	0	19	1	4.75
V Viyaskanth	4.0	0	20	2	5.00
DN Wellalage	3.0	0	14	1	4.66	(1w)
DM de Silva	1.0	0	5	0	5.00

Wkt	Runs	Players
1st	58	BKG Mendis	MNK Fernando
2nd	5	BKG Mendis	Azam Khan
3rd	6	BKG Mendis	M Subasingha
4th	10	Iftikhar Ahmed	BKG Mendis
5th	18	Imad Wasim	BKG Mendis
6th	3	Imad Wasim	S Ashan
7th	8	Imad Wasim	DHAP Tharanga
8th	4	Wahab Riaz	DHAP Tharanga
9th	1	N Pradeep	DHAP Tharanga
10th	0	DHAP Tharanga	N Thushara

Team	M	W	L	PT	NRR
KAF	8	7	1	14	1.884
JK	8	6	2	12	1.01
CLS	8	3	5	6	-0.847
GG	8	2	6	4	-0.936
DAT	8	2	6	4	-1.198

END OF OVER:20 | (wicket maiden) | GG: 113/10 (25 runs required, RR: 5.65)

END OF OVER:19 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | GG: 113/8 (25 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 5.94, RRR: 25.00)

END OF OVER:18 | 11 Runs 1 Wkt | GG: 111/7 (27 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.16, RRR: 13.50)

END OF OVER:17 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | GG: 100/6 (38 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.88, RRR: 12.66)

END OF OVER:
20 | (wicket maiden) | GG: 113/10 (25 runs required, RR: 5.65)

END OF OVER:
19 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | GG: 113/8 (25 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 5.94, RRR: 25.00)

END OF OVER:
18 | 11 Runs 1 Wkt | GG: 111/7 (27 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.16, RRR: 13.50)

END OF OVER:
17 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | GG: 100/6 (38 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.88, RRR: 12.66)