END OF OVER:20 | 12 Runs | GAM: 184/6 | RR: 9.20
- Isuru Udana2 (1b)
- Dwaine Pretorius12 (10b)
- Azmatullah Omarzai3-0-29-1
- Asitha Fernando4-0-35-3
I'll hand you over to Madushka for the second innings while a pretty stunning drone show takes place of Khettarama.
Tiran: "What happened to Allen? Why didn't he bowl his remaining 2 overs?" Bhanuka Rajapaksa happened. No way Asalanka was risking bowling more spin after Rajapaksa launched him for 28 in that over.
"Greatest Innings of this LPL for sure," says Channula. Presumably he's talking about Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who did seem as if he was playing on a completely different track from his teammates.
Reminder that Galle Marvels were 24 for 3 after seven overs, and have scored 160 for 3 in the 13 overs since. You don't have to look at that scorecard long to figure out who was the MVP of that innings. Bhanuka's 82 off 34 has launched Marvels to a daunting 184 for 6 (Seifert's 47 off 37 helped too).
If Jaffna Kings are to win their fourth title, they have to chase down more runs than any team ever has in a LPL final. They do have some batting firepower. But can any of them find the kind of touch Rajapaksa managed on what seemed to be a tricky pitch for most batters.
19.6
2
Azmatullah Omarzai to Udana, 2 runs, they scramble two, but has Udana hurt himself? This was a yorker on about off stump, driven away towards long off and they call two early and though the throw comes in nicely, Udana dives and makes his ground at the strikers' end. Takes a while to get up though, and seems to have had something go into his eye? Hopefully he can still bowl.
19.5
1b
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pretorius, 1 bye, another slower one wide of off, Pretorius can't make contact again and they scamper a bye
19.4
0
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pretorius, no run, bouncer over the leg stump. Pretorius gets inside the line and tries to drag to leg but misses
19.3
0
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pretorius, no run, slower ball wide of off, rolls fingers over it, Pretorius swings and misses
19.2
6
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pretorius, SIX, he's paid dearly for that. Goes for the yorker again, but bowls a low full toss on the stumps and Pretorius has pounced on this one, and struck it sweetly down the ground for six. That's seriously cost Jaffna.
Free Hit now.
19.2
1nb
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pretorius, 1 no ball, yorker outside off, and he's bowled him! Pretorius couldn't get bat to it and is walking off when oh - the call comes in from the third umpire that Omarzai has bowled a front foot no-ball. How costly will this be?
19.1
2
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pretorius, 2 runs, short of a length outside off, thumped wide of long off where Asalanka give chase and reels it in. That had been hit hard, through the air. But Asalanka covered a lot of ground
Omarzai to bowl the last. Udana is the new batter, but is at the non-strikers
END OF OVER:19 | 8 Runs 1 Wkt | GAM: 172/6 | RR: 9.05
- Dwaine Pretorius4 (4b)
- Asitha Fernando4-0-35-3
- Azmatullah Omarzai2-0-18-1
18.6
W
AM Fernando to Rajapaksa, OUT, yorker that smashes the base of leg stump! This is a consequential blow with one over to go. This is not quite the perfect yorker (its a super low full toss that pitches about 20cm short of the stumps), but what matters is that it is good enough to make Rajapaksa miss. He had tried to flick that through leg but falls over it a bit. The end to a truly outstanding finals innings.
PBB Rajapaksa b AM Fernando 82 (34b 8x4 6x6) SR: 241.17
18.5
1
AM Fernando to Pretorius, 1 run, yorker on the stumps, dug out past the bowler who scrambles to get to it but doesn't manage
18.4
1
AM Fernando to Rajapaksa, 1 run, short ball at the body, Rajapaksa tries to scoop this over the shoulder, but it hits the bat handle and gloves and floats out towards wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis. He can't get there on time though, and they run a single
18.3
1
AM Fernando to Pretorius, 1 run, another attempted yorker gone wrong. This is a knee-high full toss on off stump, but Pretorius does nothing more than bash it to long off. Give Bhanuka the strike though.
18.2
1
AM Fernando to Rajapaksa, 1 run, yorker on leg stump, thumped down to long on. Even that shot, a checked drive, had so much power in it
18.1
4
AM Fernando to Rajapaksa, FOUR, one bounce over extra cover. This is just glorious striking from BR. This is an attempted wide yorker but Asitha misses the length and Rajapakse gets low and launches that over the offside infield. Landed about two metres inside the boundary, and split the deep fielders nicely.
END OF OVER:18 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | GAM: 164/5 | RR: 9.11
- Bhanuka Rajapaksa76 (30b)
- Dwaine Pretorius2 (2b)
- Azmatullah Omarzai2-0-18-1
- Jason Behrendorff4-0-18-2
17.6
1
Azmatullah Omarzai to Rajapaksa, 1 run, another single down the ground, this to a ball pitched fullish on about off stump
17.5
1
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pretorius, 1 run, fullish delivery on about off stump, driven down the ground
17.4
1
Azmatullah Omarzai to Rajapaksa, 1 run, slower one outside off, shortish, steered to deep third
17.3
2b
Azmatullah Omarzai to Rajapaksa, 2 byes, an overthrow. Rajapaksa is down the track to this one but misses, and the ball rolls through to Mendis, who under-arms it at the stumps and they run an overthrow when it hits its target (Rajapaksa is easily home). But there's some drama here, because the throw from point hits Rajapaksa's body at the non strikers end and they run a second overthrow, which Jaffna vociferously protest, because it came off the batter's body. In the end the umpires convince Rajapaksa to give up that second run. But not before Rossouw gets in umpire Kumar Dharmasena's face aggressively and tells him that's not an overthrow. Dharmasena is obviously perturbed by that and brings Rossouw in for a chat with Asalanka, the captain. That looked a bit ugly. A fine is likely there, I feel.
17.2
1
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pretorius, 1 run, yorker in towards off stump. Digs that out to long on
Dwayne Pretorius comes in.
17.1
W
Azmatullah Omarzai to Arachchige, OUT, holes out to deep midwicket. Not the prize wicket, but an end to this partnership nonetheless. THis was a low full toss outside off, and Arachchige just didn't get enough power into the shot. DDS settles under it about 10 metres in from the rope
SSD Arachchige c de Silva b Azmatullah Omarzai 16 (14b 2x4 0x6) SR: 114.28
END OF OVER:17 | 14 Runs | GAM: 158/4 | RR: 9.29
- Bhanuka Rajapaksa74 (27b)
- Sahan Arachchige16 (13b)
- Jason Behrendorff4-0-18-2
- Charith Asalanka2-0-35-0
16.6
4
Behrendorff to Rajapaksa, FOUR, uff! That is insane bat speed and timing. This is full outside off as Behrendorff misses his yorker. And Bhanuka takes a small step and smokes that back over the bowler's head for a one-bounce four.
16.5
1
Behrendorff to Arachchige, 1 run, slower ball I think, dug into the pitch, clubbed into the legside but without much timing. Brings a single.
16.4
1
Behrendorff to Rajapaksa, 1 run, yorker, at the stumps, dug out, and they sprint through
16.3
1b
Behrendorff to Arachchige, 1 bye, bouncer outisde off that the batter wafts at, but the keeper can't collect it cleanly. So they run a bye.
