17/08Result
Qualifier 1, Lanka Premier League at Colombo, Aug 17 2023
Aura won by 6 wkts (2b rem)
Player of the Match
Kusal Mendis
Kusal MendisDambulla Thunders
17/08Result
Qualifier 1, Lanka Premier League at Colombo, Aug 17 2023
Aura won by 6 wkts (2b rem)
Player of the Match
Kusal Mendis
Kusal MendisDambulla Thunders

That's it from us. The LPL eliminator is coming up. Do hop over to that match.

Player of the match Kusal Mendis: We were able to play really well across all three disciplines. We were able to be successful in the powerplays. The bowlers bowled really well, and they've done their jobs about as well as they could have.

Losing captain Shanaka: We had a chance to get 160 or 170, and at crucial times we gave away our wickets. Croospulle was going from one side, but myself, Shakib and Najib didn't click as we needed to.

Kusal Mendis is player of the match.

jimmy: "Croospulle took a single on 19.4, ensuring that nothing substantial would be scored on the last 3 balls of the innings. A boundary or two could have went a long way towards posting a defendable total. What a colossal mistake to take a single in that spot while 8 wickets down and a tail ender at the other end of the crease!" Not sure I agree Jimmy. It's the last over. You take what runs are on offer. Croospulle himself is not a renowned boundary-hitter or finisher. And I don't think the difference was just a few runs.

It's been a masterful chase by Aura, who have been the best team in this competition. They've bowled well to restrict Titans, then Kusal Mendis led with 49 off 45, and Kusal Perera struck 53 off 39, and the victory was comfortable in the end.

Aura go through to the LPL final.

Titans have another chance to qualify. They'll play the winner of this evening's eliminator, on Saturday.

19.4
1
Shanaka to Ross, 1 run, a leg bye does it. This is length on the pads, goes off towards fine leg, and they scamper the match-winning single.
19.3
0
Shanaka to Ross, no run, umm, what's happening? This is a length ball outsid e off, clubbed to point, straight to the fielder. Ross wants the single but is sent back by DDS
19.2
0
Shanaka to Ross, no run, Ross starts with a dot, a length ball, defended back to the bowler.

End of a good innings from Perera. No way Aura can mess it up here, right.

19.1
W
Shanaka to Perera, OUT, he's out! All he needed to do was miss a fielder, and he has clubbed a slower-ball full toss back to the bowler. Shanaka has caught that easily in his follow through.

MDKJ Perera c & b Shanaka 53 (39b 4x4 3x6) SR: 135.89

Just one run for Aura to get now. Perera on strike.

END OF OVER:
19 | 13 Runs | DAT: 146/3 (1 run required from 6 balls, RR: 7.68, RRR: 1.00)

  • Dhananjaya de Silva2 (2b)
  • Kusal Perera53 (38b)
  • Kasun Rajitha3-0-37-0
  • Tabraiz Shamsi4-0-37-1
18.6
2
Rajitha to de Silva, 2 runs, full - attempted yorker - on about off stump. Clipped through midwicket for a nicely-hustled two
18.5
1
Rajitha to Perera, 1 run, length on the pads, turned around the corner to to fine leg for four
18.4
0
Rajitha to Perera, no run, length ball wide of off, chopped to cover
18.3
6
Rajitha to Perera, SIX, Kusal Perera has played a gem here and he's putting the finishing touches on this chase for Aura. This is a length ball on the stumps. Not a ball that deserves to be hit, way over the deep midwicket boundary, but such is the bat speed and the power that Perera's wrists generate, that it sails way over the rope
18.2
2
Rajitha to Perera, 2 runs, they're doing it easy. This is full on the stumps, pushed through flicked straight of deep midwicket for another comfortable two
18.1
2
Rajitha to Perera, 2 runs, full outside off, driven nicely wide of deep cover, and they scamper two. Perera is quick between the wickets

Mian Adeel: "Kusal Perera playing wonderful knock on his birthday, wishing him a very happy b'day. I wish this text be there in commentary section."

Yep. A very happy birthday to the most unexpected provider of arguably the greatest Test innings.

END OF OVER:
18 | 11 Runs 1 Wkt | DAT: 133/3 (14 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.38, RRR: 7.00)

  • Dhananjaya de Silva0 (1b)
  • Kusal Perera42 (33b)
  • Tabraiz Shamsi4-0-37-1
  • Shakib Al Hasan4-0-23-1
17.6
0
Shamsi to de Silva, no run, fired in, stock ball, pitching outside off and straightening. Defended back down the pitch.

DDS comes in.

17.5
W
Shamsi to Mendis, OUT, big appeal from Shamsi! Did that hit the pad? Shamsi reviews. That was a length ball, pitching on the stumps and straightening. And that's a great review from Shamsi. As Mendis had tried to sweep it, there was some doubt as to whether that had struck some pard of the bat or glove, but he'd missed it by a distance in the end. Hits him in front of middle. The ball is going on to hit middle, about halfway out. On the review it looks PLUMB. Mendis knew it and was halfway to the dressing room before the decision even came in.

BKG Mendis lbw b Shamsi 49 (45b 6x4 0x6) SR: 108.88

17.4
1
Shamsi to Perera, 1 run, flat, on off stump, chopped to deep cover for a single
17.3
0
Shamsi to Perera, no run, tries to smack this one over leg again, but misses, as Shamsi has dipped and bounced this.
17.2
4
Shamsi to Perera, FOUR, follows it up with a reverse-swept four. Gets down again, doesn't quite get all of it, but it is just a one-bounce four over fine leg. Easy
17.1
6
Shamsi to Perera, SIX, KJP goes for the big one and NAILS IT. This is a stock ball, pitched outside off, floated up. KJP goes down and slog sweeps that way into the stands beyond cow corner.

Shamsi to bowl out.

END OF OVER:
17 | 2 Runs | DAT: 122/2 (25 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.17, RRR: 8.33)

  • Kusal Mendis49 (44b)
  • Kusal Perera31 (29b)
  • Shakib Al Hasan4-0-23-1
  • Lahiru Samarakoon1-0-9-0
16.6
0
Shakib Al Hasan to Mendis, no run, skidded through very quickly from Shakib, targeting those stumps, looking for an lbw perhaps. Mendis just about gets his hands across and it hits him in the bat handle/gloves. Clever bowling. Good over for Titans.
16.5
0
Shakib Al Hasan to Mendis, no run, pushed through full outside off, defended back from the crease
16.4
1
Shakib Al Hasan to Perera, 1 run, flat, length ball outside off, deflected just fine of short third, and they scamper one
16.3
0
Shakib Al Hasan to Perera, no run, full toss, and KJP misses out. Unambitiously flicks this to short midwicket
16.2
0
Shakib Al Hasan to Perera, no run, flat and fast again, pitched on the stumps, defended back towards the bowler

Aura 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st33BKG MendisWIA Fernando
2nd31BKG MendisS Samarawickrama
3rd69MDKJ PereraBKG Mendis
4th13MDKJ PereraDM de Silva
5th1AI RossDM de Silva