Cricket is uncertainty personified where sometimes victory emerges from the most unanticipated side. Same happened during a Premier Championship match in Sri Lanka between Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club and Galle Cricket Club at the Army Ground, Panagoda.
Galle Cricket Club grabbed one of the most unexpected cricket victories. Getting all out on just 31 runs in 1st innings, Galle Cricket Club recovered from the dismal performance and end up winning the match by 4 runs.
It was a crucial match for both teams as the result would decide which team will be dropped out of the Premier Championship at the weekend.
While batting first, Galle lost three wickets in single digits. No Galle’s batsmen reached double figure. It was Navindu Nirmal who top-scored with seven runs in first innings. At one stage, they were 27/5 but then lost 5 wickets for only 4 runs, including the last three for zero runs.
Most teams would consider a match to be in their pocket after bowling the opposition out for just 31 in mere 15.1 overs majorly because of Asiri Karunaratne’s smashing bowling, who claimed 5-21. But Sri Lanka Air Force Club remained unlucky here as despite of their initial marvelous knock they failed to materialize it into victory.
Air Force in their first innings scored 215 runs and a lead of 184 runs. Keeping Galle’s initial performance they were pretty sure of their victory, but they underestimated their opponents. Galle came back strongly in their second innings. At the loss of just two wickets Galle cruised past 184 runs. Splendid century from former Sri Lanka U-19 Charith Asalanka helped Galle to score 295 runs. His 114 off 123-balls comprised of 13 fours and 4 sixes.
In chase of a rather modest target of 112 runs, Air Force team lost wickets at regular intervals. Malith de Silva was the star for Galle, with figures of 6/46. Air Force were bowled out for 107 runs and thus Galle grabbed one of the most unlikeliest victory by four runs.
In the history of first-class cricket in Sri Lanka 31 is the joint lowest innings total by any side. It was the lowest winning first-innings score since 1924, when Gloucestershire were dismissed for 31 against Middlesex. Galle Cricket Club’s 31 is jointly the fourth-lowest first innings total to win a First-Class match and the lowest in First-Class matches outside England. Galle’s 31 is the lowest since Hampshire’s 15 in 1922. The lowest of all time was in 1827, when England were skittled for 27 against Sussex.