West Indies 'A' win by 53 runs

CRICKET: West Indies 'A' produced a solid allround game and whipped Sri Lanka 'A' by 53 runs in their second unofficial One-Day International (ODI) cricket match at Warner Park on Sunday.

After piling up a challenging 237 for six off 37 overs in the rain-reduced game, the West Indies reserves stifled the visitors to 184 for seven off their 37 overs for a handsome victory that avenged Friday's opening game loss.

A fired up West Indies 'A' team decisively toppled the Sri Lanka top-order batting, and - showing high intensity in the field - tightened their grip on the game to run out easy winners.

Chasing 238 to win, the Sri Lankans made a horrible start and plunged into serious trouble at three wickets for two runs - pressured by a three-wicket burst from fast bowlers Gavin Tonge and Andrew Richardson.

Richardson sent back Avishka Gunawardene (0) caught behind by Patrick Browne in the first over, and Tonge struck in the second over when Mahela Udawatte also failed to score edging to the wicket-keeper.

Tonge snared another crucial wicket in the same over when Jehan Mubarak (1) popped an easy catch to Austin Richards Jnr. at mid-wicket as he failed to handle a delivery that rushed onto him.

Jeevan Mendis and captain Russel Arnold staged a partial recovery with a 43-run fourth-wicket stand that ended when Mendis was superbly run-out for 15 by Richards Jnr.

The young Antiguan sped to retrieve a ball played to mid-wicket and his swift accurate throw beat Mendis to the crease. It became 62 for five when off-spinner Omari Banks claimed an easy return catch to dislodge Gayan Wijekoon for nine.

Richards then featured in another fine display of out-cricket, snaring a splendid catch to remove Kaushal Lokuarachchi at 79 for six. Lokuarachchi worked a delivery from Banks to the on-side and Richards Jnr. darted to his right and lunged forward to clutch an outstanding diving catch.

Arnold stroked an attacking 78 off 77 balls, with seven fours and one six before off-spinner Narsingh Deonarine removed him caught behind.

Kaushal Silva (38) and Malinga Bandara (30) combined for an unbroken 45-run eighth-wicket stand at the end but they were always behind the required run-rate and never threatened the target.

Earlier, the West Indies reserves got a solid start from their left-handed openers Devon Smith and Austin Richards Jnr. after they were sent in to bat. The pair put on 64 runs before Richards gave a return catch to off-spinner Arnold.

Richards had lashed 37 - including six boundaries - when he played too early to a delivery that was held back and lofted a catch to the visiting captain. Arnold also bowled Smith at 82 for two, after the Grenadian hit 34 with three fours and six over mid-wicket off the leg-spinner Lokuarachchi.

Joseph and Travis Dowlin linked up for an innings-best 64-run third wicket stand that frustrated the Sri Lankans.

Joseph, coming off a solid 86 in Friday's opening game, led his team's batting again with a top-score of 45. He stroked three fours and a six and departed - caught at long-on by Ruchira Perera - off leg-spinner Bandara as he tried to maintain the brisk run-rate.

Bandara also dislodged Dowlin, who made 37 with a six and four boundaries and Deonarine, top-edging an attempted slog sweep to mid-off for eight. Wicket-keeper Browne contributed 27 before Ryan Hinds (27) and Banks (2) closed out the innings.

Bandara was chief wicket taker for the Sri Lankans with three for 51 off eight overs, and Arnold picked up two for 37 off seven. Both teams travel Monday for the third game in the series in St Lucia on Wednesday.

WINDIES 'A' INNINGS

D Smith b Arnold 			 34
A Richards Jnr. c&b Arnold 		 37
T Dowlin c Mendis b Bandara 		 37
S Joseph c Perera b Bandara 		 45
N Deonarine c Mubarak b Bandara 	  8
P Browne c Mubarak b Perera 		 27
R Hinds not out 			 27
O Banks not out 			  2
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-16) 			 20
TOTAL (for 6 wickets - 37 overs) 	237

Did Not Bat: R Kelly, A Richardson, G Tonge.
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-64, 2-82, 3-146, 4-179, 5-193, 6-231.
BOWLING: Perera 6-0-38-1 (9w); Amarasinghe 7-0-39-0 (3w); 
Wijekoon 4-0-32-0; Lokuarachchi 5-1-36-0 (1w); 
Arnold 7-0-37-2 (2w); Bandara 8-0-51-3 (1w).
 
SRI LANKA 'A' INNINGS

A Gunawardene c wkp Browne b Richardson   0
M Udawatte c wkp Browne b Tonge 	  0
J Mendis run out 			 15
J Mubarak c Richards b Tonge 		  1
R Arnold c wkp Browne b Deonarine 	 78
G Wijekoon c&b Banks 			  9
K Lokuarachchi c Richards b Banks 	  9
K Silva not out 			 38
M Bandara not out (3 6s, 19 b) 		 30
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-3) 			  4
TOTAL (for 7 wickets - 37 overs) 	184

Did Not Bat: R Perera, I Amarasinghe.
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-46, 5-62, 6-79, 7-139.
BOWLING: Richardson 6-1-16-1; Tonge 8-0-34-2 (2w); 
Kelly 5-1-20-0; Hinds 8-0-43-0;
 Banks 5-0-34-2; Deonarine 5-0-36-1 (1w).
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts