Chandimal still fighting for white ball team place,
Dinesh Chandimal who made fighting knock of 89 making a shot. (Picture courtesy SLC)Dinesh Chandimal who made fighting knock of 89 making a shot. (Picture courtesy SLC)
Sri Lankan wicket keeper batsman Dinesh Chandimal once again came to the attraction at the on going Lanka Premier League Cricket (LPL) tournament and his intention is very clear for a fighting the place of Sri Lanka white ball team.
Chandimal the 34 year experienced player presently playing at Kandy Falcons team is among the runs scoring 237 runs with a trike rate of 183.72 and his highest total of 89 guided to get win for Kandy team against top of the Group Jaffna Kings team.
I am very keen to fight for a place of white ball team. We won the first match against Dambulla Sixes and later three in a row we couldn’t win and once again we are fighting to get victories and as an experienced player I am very keen to give my service for the team success said former Sri Lanka skipper Chandimal and Andre Fletcher (West Indies) are the two openers of Kandy Falcons and they always tried to make good platform for the side we were able to put up a good fight each other opponent.
My plan is to play positive from the first ball and we had the record of best LPL chase victory against Jaffna Kings. Jaffna scored 224 and we reached 230 for 3 wickets and my contribution of 89 in 37 balls with 8 fours and 7 sixes well supported by young Kamindu Mendis (36 balls 65)who made brisk half century.When we go to chase more than 200 runs our plan was to get more runs during power play and openers have big role and we went with a positive mood said Chandimal.
I always keep my fitness and hard training gives me success. As a regular red ball team player once again tried to get a place for the white ball team. The wickets of their LPL tournament is suited for batsmen and bowlers have big challenges on this type of batting tracks. But I think bowlers have good learning curve on this type of wicket. If a bowler could finish his four over spell limited to 35 runs it is an achievement on this type of tracks said Chandimal. Dinesh Chandimal highly appreciated about young opener Pathum Nissanka’s performance. Nissanka scored highest LPL knock of 119 against Chandimal’s Kandy team.
Nissanka is a great player. He always focused on his batting and he is the best top order batsman for next ten years. His consistent performance is very good and I am sure he is an asset to the Sri Lanka team added Chandimal.
Pathum Nissanka of Jaffna Kings is the highest runs scorer so far this tournament having 303 runs with an average of 50.5 and maintain 165.57 strike rate while Jaffna Kings Avishka Fernando having 284 runs is in second place and Galle Marvels opener Alex Hales is in third place having 241 followed by Dinesh Chandimal with 237 runs. However comparing the strike rates Chandimal is on top with 183.72.
Meanwhile Galle Marvels paceman Isuru Udana is leading wicket taker so far in this tournament having 11 wickets followed by Colombo Strikers Shadab Khan (10) and Galle Marvels Zahoor Khan having 9 wickets after second leg of the tournament.
Most runs and strike rates of top batters so far in this LPL
Pathum Nissanka (Jaffna Kings) 303 runs strike rate – 165.57
Avishka Fernando (Jaffna Kings) 284 runs strike rate – 172.12
Alex Hales (Galle Marvels) 241- strike rate 140.11
Dinesh Chandimal (Kandy Falcons) 237 runs -strike rate 183.72
Rilee Rossouw (Jaffna Kings) 230 runs – strike rate 171.64
Tim Seifert (Galle Marvels) 224 -strike rate 148.34
Kusal Janith Perera (Dambulla Sixes) 215 – strike rate 172.00