Sri Lankan club wins the match despite being dismissed for 31

Sri Lankan club wins the match despite being dismissed for 31: In the relegation play-off match of a Sri Lankan regional four day tournament,  Galle Cricket Club were bowled out for just 31 in their first innings against the Sri Lankan Air Force Sports Club but eventually went on to win the match by 4 runs. It was a match in which as many as 8 players made their First Class debut for Galle Cricket Club.

After asked to bat first in the Army Ground, Panagoda, Galle were reduced to 27-5 in quick time and their lower order failed to save them from blushes as Galle lost their last 5 wickets for just 4 runs ending their innings for just 31 on the board. With this, Galle equalled the record for the lowest score in the history of Sri Lankan First Class cricket. None of the Galle batsmen reached the double figures with Navindu Nirmal ended as the highest scorer with 7. Air Force’s Asiri Karunaratne with a figures of 5-21 was the pick of the bowlers for his side.

In reply, Air Force too was in a spot of bother as they were reduced for 84/6 but their All Rounder Ranga Dissanayake made sure that his side crossed the 200 run mark as Air Force were dismissed for 215. Galle in their second innings batted extremely well and rode on 17-year-old debutant Charith Asalanka’s century that them to a respectable 295 on the board and set Air Force a target of 112 to win. Asalanka scored 114 off 123 balls that included 13 fours and four sixes.

Chasing 112, Air Force’s batting collapsed big time as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals that led to their down fall. Galle’s Malith de Silva made sure that his side went on to create history as his bowling figures of 6/46 helped Galle to dismiss Air Force for just 107 that resulted in a 4 run win for them.