Queensland in four wicket win over Sri Lanka
Elmo RODRIGOPULLE Reporting
The Queensland ‘Bulls’ slapped a humiliating four wicket defeat on
the Sri Lankans with 5.5 overs to spare on the final day of their
three-day game here, today.
When victory was achieved at the wickets were Clinton Perren on 62
and Ashley Noffke on 25.
When the Queenslanders were struggling on 6 for 78 chasing 142 in 43
overs, it looked as though the Lankans would put the pressure on the two
batsmen and lure them to their demise.
But Perren and Noffke put their heads down and batting with great
responsibility added a further 64 and that was it.
When the Sri Lankans collapsed for second time in the game and were
down and out at 82 for six, it looked as though the game would end
before lunch.
But Chaminda Vaas and Malinga Bandara put them on the rails again
with a face saving stand of 75 for the ninth wicket and saw their team
on the way to respectability.
Vaas was a study in concentration and correct batsmanship. When the
chips were down he came to the wicket and immediately took the bowling
by the scruff of the neck and hammered it to all corners of the field
and over it as well.
Vaas had 14 fours and two mighty sixes in his 87 run knock that came
off just 74 balls.
His knock was the only saving grace for the Lankans and he gave the
few spectators who were their something to cheer about.
Malinga Bandara better known for his leg spin bowling gave Vaas good
support. He made a gutty 15, but it was his stand with Vaas that enabled
the Lankans to make a match of it.
When the ‘Bulls’ were chasing victory, Farveez Mahroof and Lasith
Malinga gave them the shivers when they gobbled up wickets to leave the
home team tottering at 78 for six.
Mahroof had figures of 3/33 and Malinga 2 for 49. Bandara who battled
well in both innings had 1 for 34.
In the morning session Mahela Jayawardena made 35 and wicket keeper
batsman Prasanna Jayawardena batted confidently again to make 22. The
defeat would certainly dented the confidence of the Lankans what with
the First Test only a few days away.
The Lankans would have to get back to the drawing boards and learn
from their mistakes and come good and give the Aussies a run for their
money.
SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS
210 for 9 declared (P. Jayawardene
58 not out, M. Atapattu 48; A. Noffke 5-36)
QUEENSLAND
1ST INNINGS 295
(A. Bichel 125, M. Johnson 50;
F. Maharoof 3-72)
SRI LANKA 2ND INNINGS
(62 for 4 overnight)
M. Atapattu lbw b Noffke 7
S. Jayasuriya c Perren b Noffke 2
M. Vandort c Hartley b Kasprowicz 26
M. Jayawardene c Hartley b Johnson 35
T. Samaraweera c Maher b Bichel 3
C. Silva c Maher b Noffke 4
P. Jayawardene c Maher b Kasprowicz 22
F. Maharoof c Perren b Kasprowicz 8
C. Vaas c Simpson b Doran 84
M. Bandara c and b Bichel 15
L. Malinga not out 15
Extras (b2, lb2, nb1) 5
TOTAL (all out, 73.5 overs) 226
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-2 (Jayasuriya), 2-11 (Atapattu), 3-52 (Vandort),
4-55 (Samaraweera), 5-64 (Silva), 6-82 (M. Jayawardene),
7-104 (Maharoof), 8-133 (P. Jayawardene), 9-208 (Bandara), 10-226 (Vaas).
BOWLING: Johnson 18-3-47-1, Noffke 13-4-21-3, Kasprowicz 14-4-29-3 (1nb),
Bichel 11-3-34-2, Symonds 7-1-38-0, Doran 10.5-0-53-1.
QUEENSLAND 2ND INNINGS
R. Broad c P. Jayawardene b Maharoof 26
J. Maher c M. Jayawardene b Maharoof 12
C. Perren not out 62
A. Symonds c Jayawardene b Maharoof 3
C. Simpson lbw b Malinga 1
A. Bichel lbw b Malinga 0
C. Hartley stpd Jayawardene b Bandara 8
A. Noffke not out 21
Extras (lb1, nb8) 9
TOTAL (6 wkts, 37.1 overs) 142
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-35 (Maher), 2-41 (Broad), 3-48 (Symonds),
4-51 (Simpson), 5-51 (Bichel), 6-78 (Hartley)
BOWLING: Vaas 9-4-22-0, Malinga 11-1-49-2 (2nb), Maharoof 9-0-33-3 (6nb),
Bandara 7-0-34-1, Samaraweera 1.1-0-3-0. |
