full on the pads, flicked to backward square, Gunaratne fumbles the ball trying to field off a short hop and the misfield opens the door for the scampered single to clinch victory by five wickets.
Tuskers vs Viiking, 10th Match at Hambantota, LPL, Dec 03 2020 - Ball by Ball Commentary
Viiking won by 5 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)
That's all for today's coverage. Come back again for more LPL action tomorrow. I'm Peter Della Penna. Good night!
Man of the Match Angelo Perera for his 67 off 49 for Viiking: "The team wanted me to stick around because it was not an easy wicket to bat on. [Dasun] is a very positive person. We couldn't take it single by single. We had a game plan to attack a few bowlers and it came off. The ball was sticking and turning a bit so it was a matter of making sure you were watching the ball properly. After being in for 15-20 balls, you have to capitalize on it. We made a few changes that came off really well."
Viiking captain Dasun Shanaka: "We are really happy about the team performance. Our bowlers did a tremendous job for us and we were able to keep them below par. I could read the wicket well so it was easy for me to rotate strike. Angelo was promoted to the top of the order. We all know how good he is and he proved again the type of player he is."
Daren Ganga on TV asked Kusal why he did not bring Naveen-ul-Haq, the tournament's leading wicket taker, until very late. Kusal responded saying they needed wickets but that pace coming onto the ball was easy to hit and he opted for spinners instead.
Tuskers captain Kusal Perera: "We were short 10-15 runs. We capitalized well in the first few overs and the middle but they bowled very well at the death. That's why we couldn't pass 160. The wicket is not really a batting track. It was gripping and a slow track. We were planning for 175+ but they bowled very well."
11.20 pm They made it a touch adventurous on themselves after the last strategic timeout, but Viiking get over the line by four balls in the end, quite comfortable. Kandy were always facing an uphill battle after posting a subpar total. They fought gamely in the first eight overs but Angelo Perera and Dasun Shanaka's partnership made sure Viiking claimed victory without too much stress. The win keeps Viiking within striking distance of first place, two points behind table leaders Jaffna Stallions. Tuskers have one win from five matches, just above winless Galle Gladiators on the opposite end of the standings.
yorker speared into off stump, jammed out to cover.
low full toss at knee height on sixth stump, punched along the ground through the off side to level the scores.
slower ball lands short again as Naveen bowls this from 24 yards trying to catch the batsman off guard delivering a stride early, but this time it's latched onto cleanly by Anwar Ali and he clears deep midwicket and then some.
short again and slow wide outside off, pulls this along the ground through midwicket for a long single.
another slower ball over fifth stump landing it short and Shenwari is way early playing over the top with a pull.
slower ball wide outside off at 101 kph, Shenwari is defeated this time by his countryman, missing a cut shot.
And just like that, the run rate is back below a run a ball again.
short and wide, slapped behind point and races away to the rope.
Owais Shah is muttering to himself in what looks like very annoyed fashion in the Viiking dugout. Would his side dare blow this?
Naveen returns. His first over was underwhelming.
short on off, pulls this over short midwicket for a long single as the boundary rider charges in to deny two.
fullish length wide on sixth stump, Shenwari flails flat-footed and is beaten.
short and wide, cuts this straight to backward point.
short ball wide outside off tapped behind point.
length ball seams back to beat the batsman playing back in his crease. Big shout from Pradeep but not much support from the captain/keeper Kusal. Looked high and possibly missing leg too. Yelping more in hope than actual belief was Pradeep. No review called for.
Both set men fall in the space of seven balls after the strategic timeout. Is The Annexation of Puerto Rico actually going to happen? (For those unaware, it's a reference from the movie "Little Giants").
slower ball lands short on the stumps at 110 kph, hammers a pull flat to the man at backward square adjacent to the umpire. Gunaratne takes the catch falling sideways to his left tracking the tailspin.
good length ball on the stumps, punched along the ground to long-on.
short and wide, carved to the sweeper.
short on the legs, tries to heave this over the leg side but misses off the hips.
and he pulls out the reverse sweep immediately. Picked the right ball full and wide, connects past slip and it spins down the slope to the rope.
Slip in for the new man Samiullah Shenwari's first ball.
good length ball turns in from fourth stump, flicked to long-on.
deja vu! For the second time today a wicket falls first ball after the strategic timeout. Slog sweep played to a full ball from Dilruwan, doesn't middle it and picks out deep midwicket five yards in from the rope.
Dilruwan back for some offspin.
Over 20 • DV 157/5
Viiking won by 5 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)