Team bats first, scores 31, still wins the match

Mumbai: While teams have lost the game after enforcing a follow-on; Australia were at the receiving end of it thrice; a club team in Sri Lanka managed to pull off a historic feat by winning the game after scoring not even 40 runs batting first.

The Galle Cricket Club side was bowled out for 31 in its first innings during the Premier League Tournament game against Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club at the Army Ground in Panagoda. The team also became the second team to get all out for 31. But the side that was bundled out for a paltry total in the first innings, went on to win the match by 4 runs.

Having scored only 27 runs for the loss of 5 wickets, the Galle Cricket Club was in a precarious situation. With the lower middle order and tailenders failing to fight back, the team lost remaining 5 wickets and could only score 4 runs. The top scorer of the innings was Navindu Nirmal who scored 7 runs.

While the Air Force Sports Club were not spectacular while they batted, they managed to score 215 and took 184-run lead over their rivals.

A century from 17-year-old debutant Charith Asalanka led Galle Cricket Club’s fightback. The left-hander, who hit 13 fours and four sixes scoring 114 runs from 123 balls, powered his side to 295 runs.

Cashing in on the momentum and confidence following their good show in the second innings, Galle Cricket Club set out to defend 112 runs. And then thanks to breathtaking bowling display from Malith de Silva, who scalped six wickets, and Charith Asalanka’s four-wicket haul following a hundred in the second innings with the bat, Galle Cricket Club defeated Air Force Sports Club by four runs.