Openers Sadeera Samarawickrama and Avishka Fernando added a superb 115-run opening stand for Jaffna Kings as they recorded their second consecutive victory over Dambulla Aura in the third match of the LPL tournament which was played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Dambulla Aura led by Dasun Shanaka gave a solid start after winning the toss while their openers Jordan Cox who notched up a 22-ball 43 with three fours and four sixes and 19-year-old Shevon Daniel provided him good support by scoring 19 in 26 balls with a four and a six. The pair added 63 in 7.4 overs but their middle order was damaged by Maheesh Theekshana and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth as the two spinners shared three wickets each.

Theekshana was more economical when he got skipper Dasun Shanaka who scored only 6 in 4 balls with Dunith Wellalage taking the catch at extra cover. His second and third victims were Lahiru Madashanka and Chaturanga Silva whom both scored only one run each. The much-expected Bhanuka Rajapaksa came at the number three position but he couldn’t score much and was out for 18 in 17 balls with 2 fours as he was back to the pavilion in the 15th over.

The former Jaffna Central leg spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth played a good supporting role to finish with his best LPL figures of 3 for 23 and help restrict Dambulla Aura to 121 for 9 wickets in 20 overs.