Lanka Premier League 2022 Points Table: Updated standings after Dambulla Giants vs Jaffna Kings, Match 3
The third game of the Lanka Premier League saw Dambulla Giants face off against defending champions Jaffna Kings. A brilliant show from the Kings helped them register their second win in as many days. It was a pretty one-sided game, with the Dambulla Giants posting a meagre total.
With the win, the Kings have strengthened their place atop the points table. They now have four points from two games and a net run-rate of 1.412. Kandy Falcons had won their opening game as well on the first day and are in second place now with two points.
The three othdr teams — Galle Gladiators, Dambulla Giants and Colombo Stars — are third, fourth and fifth respectively in the standings — having lost a game apiece and ahve no points to show for their efforts. With only five teams fighting for the trophy, the trailing teams need to pull up their socks to climb up the points table.
Theekshana and Viyaskanth rattle Dambulla in Lanka Premier League
Coming back to the aforementioned Lanka Premier League game, Dambulla Giants opted to bat after winning the toss. Ppeners Jordan Cox and Shevon Daniel vindicated their captain’s decision with a 63-run stand. The former scored 43, but once the opening stand was broken, the Kings stormed back into the contest.
Maheesh Theekshana and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth bowled exceptionally well to return with figures of 3-20 and 3-24 respectively to leave the Giants struggling. Dambulla could only add 57 runs to their total in 74 balls after the opening partnership was broken. They eventually ended up with 121-9.
In response, the Kings were never in trouble, as it turned out to be a straightforward chase. Openers Avishka Fernando and Sadeera Samarawickrama stitched together a superb 118-run partnership, with both players scoring fifties.
While Fernando scored 51 before getting out, his partner remained unbeaten on 62 with seven fours and a six. The Kings reached home in the 16th over to register their second win in as many Lanka Premier League games.