Sports

Sri Lanka 'A' in four-wicket win

by Chris Dhambarage

Sri Lanka 'A' pulled off an exciting four-wicket victory over the touring West Indies 'A' team in the third and final four day unofficial test match concluded at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium yesterday.

Chasing 218 runs in 43 overs Sri Lanka 'A' reached their target with eight balls to spare and went on to clinch the three match unofficial test series 2-1. The two most experienced players skipper Russel Arnold and Tillekeratne Dilshan led the way with a good fourth wicket stand of 64 runs. Arnold struck 39 from 34 balls with three fours while Dilshan made 40 from 35 deliveries.

Earlier opener Avishka Gunawardena provided the ideal start with a sparkling 49 from 59 balls inclusive of six boundaries. However the West Indies 'A' team came back into the game while capturing the importnt wickets of Arnold and Dilshan within the space of four runs.

All rounder Dilhara Lokuhettige then pulled the game in Sri Lanka's favour with a quick fire 22 from 19 balls stroking one four and a six. Prasanna Jayawardena provided excellent support in an unfinished seventh wicket partnership of 32 runs as Sri Lanka 'A' scored 218 for 6 in 37.4 overs.

The West Indies 'A' team earlier did well to reach 205 in their second innings having collapsed to 136 for 7 at one stage. They were rescued by a eighth wicket stand of 40 runs between Dave Bernard and Dave Mohammed. The former remained unbeaten on 40 having batted for more than three hours and his knock was studded with just two boundaries.

Mohammed also offered stiff resistance while occupying the crease for nearly one hous for his contribution of 30 runs which included two fours and one six. Left arm spinner Sajeewa Weerakoon once again did most of the damage with a six wicket haul which gave him a total of 23 wickets in the series.

WEST INDIES ‘A’ FIRST INNINGS 324
SRI LANKA ‘A’ FIRST INNINGS 312
WEST INDIES ‘A’ 2ND INNINGS

L. Simmons c and b Weerakoon 52 T. Maraj c Kalawitigoda b Lokuhettige 9 D. Ganga c Dilshan b Soysa 23 M. Samuels c Gunawardena b Weerakoon 16 D. Bernard c Dilshan b Weerakoon 4 D. Sammy not out 40 R. Kelly c Dilshan b Weerakoon 0 N. Miller c Mohamed b Weerakoon 6 D. Mohamed c Kalawitigoda b Weerakoon 30 D. Washington c (Sub) b Dilshan 3 K. Peters run out 9 Extras (b6, lb5, nb1, w1) 13 TOTAL ALL OUT 205 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-24, 2-69, 3-101, 4-110, 5-126, 6-126, 7-136, 8-176, 9-187. BOWLING: Soysa 8-2-22-1, Maharoof 16-4-22-0, Weerakoon 40-17-57-6, Lokuhettige 6-2-12-1, Mohamed 11.2-1-47-0, Dilshan 13-2-31-0.

SRI LANKA ‘A’ 2ND INNINGS

A. Gunawardena lbw b Bernard 49 I. Daniel c Peters b Washinton 13 S. Kalawitigoda c Simmons b Miller 28 T. M. Dilshan c Simmons b Sammy 40 R. Arnold c Samuels b Sammy 39 N. Soysa c Washinton b Sammy 5 P. Jayawardena not out 8 D. Lokuhettige not out 22 Extras (b5, lb5, nb2, w2) 14 TOTAL FOR 6 WICKETS 218 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-32, 2-93, 3-113, 4-177, 5-181, 6-186. BOWLING: Washinton 5-0-25-1, Peters 7-0-43-0, Miller 11-0-68-1, Bernard 8-0-42-1, Sammy 4.4-0-18-3, Mohammed 2-0-12-0.