Asha, Mithali shine for India again

Chinthana Wasala in Kurunegala

A brilliant half century by Asha Rawat (56) and skipper Mithali Raj (36) with a punishing partnership of 84 between them helped India beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets. This win also helped them to be unbeaten in the Women's Asia Cup Cricket tournament at Welagedera Stadium in Kurunegala yesterday.

Although Sri Lanka and India have already booked their places in the final India looked far more superior than the Lankans.

Sri Lanka faced an early double blow as they lost two wickets for just nine runs at the start of the day. Chamari Polgampola and skipper Shashikala Siriwardena were sent back to the pavilion for one and four runs respectively.

Dedunu Silva and Sewini de Alwis got their act together thereafter to build a 47 run partnership to stabilize the Sri Lankan score. Sewini was out caught by Julan Goswami off the bowling of Pujare Seema. Thereafter it was Dedunu who departed. Dedunu was the batswoman who was seen among the runs throughout the tournament for Sri Lanka. She was dismissed for 28, bowled by the same Seema.

Seema then took her third wicket after getting the wicket of Chamani Seneviratne who made 16. At this time the scoreboard read 97 for 5.

After that not much batting came from Sri Lankan batswomen as the batting line up collapsed from then on. Eshani Kaushalya, Shiromala Weerakkody and Inoka Galagedera were sent back to the pavilion within short intervals. Shiromala and Inoka were scoreless.

Deepika Rasangika was the ninth out in the Sri Lankan batting card as Julan Goswami dismissed her in a striking delivery caught by Rawat in the fifth delivery of the last over. It was a milestone for Goswami as it was the 100th ODI wicket for her which came in her 81st ODI appearance.

That wrapped up the Sri Lankan innings for 123 runs.

Indians came up with a healthy first over which gave them 10 runs including two boundaries. But a run out Karu Jain in the third over made it 17. Karu Jain had to leave the field after scoring 10.

Jeya Sharma was LBW for 17 off a delivery from Janakanthimala in the 11th over when the scores read 40/2. After that, Asha Rawat and the Indian skipper teamed up to take the Indian score to a stable stage. Asha Rawat hit the only six of the match making a very quick run chase including eight boundaries.

Mithali Raj too was hanging on with a quickfire 36 run innings which came off in only 44 deliveries.

SRI LANKA INNINGS

Dedunu Silva b Seema			28
Chamari Polgampola lbw b Goswami	 1
Shashikala Siriwardene run out		 4
Sewini de Alwis c Goswami b Seema	22
Chamani Seneviratna c Sharma b Seema	16
Dilani Manodara not out			33
Eshani Kaushalya c Jain b Sultana	 8
Shiromala Weerakkody lbw b David	 0
Inoka Galagedara run out		 0  
Deepika Rasangika  c Rawat b Goswami	 7
D Janakanthymala not out		 0
Extras (w 4)				 4
Total (9 wickets; 50 overs)		123
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-9, 3-56, 4-57, 5-97, 6-108, 7-109, 8-112, 9-123.
Bowling: J Goswami 2/25, N David 1/14, P Seema 3/35, G Sultana 1/16.
INDIA INNINGS

KV Jain run out			10 
J Sharma lbw b Janakanthymala	17
A Rawat not out			56
M Raj not out			36
Extras (w 4, nb 1)		5
Total (2 wickets; 26 overs)	124
Did not bat: R Dhar, A Sharma, G Sultana, J Goswami, P Seema, N David, P Roy.
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-40
Bowling: A.D. Janakanthymala 1/19.