This has to be the mother of all comebacks. After getting bundled out for 31 in their first innings, Galle Cricket Club would probably have not believed it if they were told they will win that match against Sri Lanka Air Force. But that's what they did bouncing back to record a four-run win and save themselves from relegation in Sri Lanka's first class competition at the Galle Cricket Stadium.
This has to be the mother of all comebacks. After getting bundled out for 31 in their first innings, Galle Cricket Club would probably have not believed it if they were told they will win that match against Sri Lanka Air Force. But that's what they did bouncing back to record a four-run win and save themselves from relegation in Sri Lanka's first class competition at the Galle Cricket Stadium.
In the crucial relegation decider, sent into bat first, Galle CC were restricted to 31 all out from 15.1 overs thanks to a fine bowling effort from Asiri Karunaratne, who claimed five for 21. In a team that had eight debutants, 16-year-old Navindu Nirmal was the top scorer for Galle with seven.
Air Force then made 215 to take a184-run lead and appeared to be heading for an outright win. However, the tables turned when Galle cruised past 184 for the loss of just two wickets, scoring 295, with the help of a century from former Sri Lanka U-19 skipper Charith Asalanka, setting Air Force a target of 112.
The chase proved to be too tough for Air Force as they were bowled out for 107, handing Galle a thrilling four-run win.
It was the lowest winning first-innings score in a first-class match since 1924, when Gloucestershire were dismissed for 31 against Middlesex. The lowest of all time was in 1827, when England were skittled out for 27 against Sussex.
sports@dnaindia.net
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