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On Sunday, July 7, the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024 witnessed a double header contest between the Galle Marvels and Kandy Falcons and the second match between the Colombo Strikers and Dambulla Sixers.
Galle Marvels won their first encounter against Kandy Falcons with six wickets in hand. They chased the target of 175 with 17 balls to spare. The second game between Colombo Strikers and Dambulla Sixers showcased a thriller encounter, whereas Dambulla Sixers won the game by eight wickets with 13 balls to spare.
The Jaffna Kings stay at the top of the points table with three wins in four encounters and a net run rate of +0.516. Galle Marvels hold the second position with six points from four games and have an NRR of +0.369.
The Colombo Strikers take up the third position after their loss earlier today and have an NRR of +0.290. Dambulla Sixers take the fourth spot after their first win against Colombo Strikers and have an NRR of -0.540. Kandy Falcons have just won one game from their four encounters and have an NRR of -0.668.
Kusal Perera’s knock of 80 runs guides the Dambulla Sixers to their first win of the season
On the first encounter of the day, Galle Marvels won the toss and elected to bowl first. Wanindu Hasaranga played a crucial role towards the end, scoring 65 runs from just 32 deliveries, which witnessed seven boundaries and three sixes.
Andre Fletcher was the only other batter at the top to provide support, amassing 50 from 36 balls, which guided the Kandy Falcons to a total of 175 with the loss of seven wickets. Isuru Udana was the standout bowler, ending with 3/30.
In response, Galle Marvels showed a positive approach and smashed all over the park. Alex Hales played a cameo of 38 runs, facing just 19 deliveries. Tim Seifert played a 49-ball-82 knock, smashing 11 boundaries and two sixes, which led the Marvels to seal the game in 17.1 overs, chasing 176 with the loss of just four wickets.
In the second game, the Dambulla Sixers won the toss and sent the Colombo Strikers to bat first. Colombo Strikers made a good start, scoring 56 runs in the powerplay, but wickets fell at regular intervals, bringing them to 94/3. Glenn Phillips had a key inning, scoring 52 runs in 36 deliveries, with Chamika Karunaratne contributing 27 runs. Nabi was the star bowler, grabbing two wickets and conceding only 20 runs.
On the other hand, the Dambulla Sixers played exceptionally well, leaving the Strikers clueless. Both openers started to strike from the word go; Reeza Hendricks scored 54 from 39 balls, and Kusal Perera scored 80 runs from 50 deliveries. Mark Chapman finished the game with 23 runs from 10 balls. Therefore, the Sixers won their first game with eight wickets in hand.
