http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 Premier League - Nagenahira Nagas v Ruhuna Royals – Live Cricket Score and Match Update – Royals set Nagas 135-run chase
Facing off against Nagenahira Nagas in the opening match of the inaugural edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League, the Ruhuna Royals ended their innings at 134, after facing a ruthless assault at the hands of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BAW-Mendis-c1127, today on
August 11 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The tournament (which was scheduled to commence last year, but put on hold owing to the unavailability of Indian players – who remain absent from the tournament this time around as well) gets off to a spectacular start today with a double header at the R
Premadasa Stadium – the match between the Nagas and Royals will be followed up with a clash between the Basnahira Cricket Dundee and the Kandurata http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Warriors-c861.
Featuring a mix of local cricketers and international Sri Lankan stars, the two teams also boast a variety of overseas players – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Travis-Birt-c2707 and
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ben-Laughlin-c47596 for the Nagas.
The Royals won the toss and opted to bat first, with skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AD-Mathews-c913, who will not be bowling in the first few games of the tournament owing
to a minor knee niggle, observed that 150-160 would be a good score on this pitch.
The Royals opened their innings with Aaron Finch (14) and wicketkeeper batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HAPW-Jayawardene-c1529 (15). However, the opening stand did not progress beyond 15 runs, with Finch dismissed by Mendis (4-0-34-3) in the 4th over.
His successor Daniel Harris (19) fared somewhat better, establishing a 22-run partnership with Jayawardene, who was sent packing, lbw, by Kanishka Alvitigala (4-0-17-1) in the 7th over, leaving his side at 37 for 2 as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hettige-Don-Rumesh-Lahiru-Thirimanne-c63124 stepped
up in his stead.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harris-c61739 was bowled by Eranga (4-0-15-3) in the 10th over, and T20 specialist Shahid Afridi followed him to the crease. However, the Pakistani all-rounder hardly fared better than his predecessors, contributing a meagre 18 runs before he was run
out in the 15th over, although he did manage to set up the highest partnership on the Royals’ side with top-scorer Thirimanne (34) – a 41-run 4th-wicket stand.
Afridi’s dismissal saw the Royals at 98 for 4, and from there onwards it was a downhill slide for the team. Eranga claimed two wickets in the 18th over – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LPC-Silva-c1848 (14) and skipper Malinga (0) – and the next over saw two more dismissals, with
Mendis sending both Thirimanne and Riaz (0) back to the pavilion.
At 128, with 8 wickets down, the Royals stumbled towards the finishing line, with the final pair of Dhananjaya de Silva (2*) and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ahangama-Baduge-Tharanga-Lakshitha-c42297 (0) at the crease. The latter’s dismissal at the hands of Laughlin (4-0-36-1) on the very last delivery of
the 20th over saw the Royals finishing, all out, at 134.
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