Udawatte smashes quick fire ton

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Dashing opener Mahela Udawatte hammered an unbeaten century to inspire the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team to a resounding 69 run victory over Afghanistan in their Four Nation Twenty20 cricket tournament match worked off at the SSC ground in Maitland Place, yesterday.

Udawatte raced to his hundred from just 67 deliveries with three sixes and eight boundaries as Sri Lanka ‘A’ piled up 175 for 5 from their 20 overs having won the toss and elected to bat first.

Udawatte put on 82 runs for the second wicket along with skipper Kaushal Silva after his opening partner Milinda Siriwardena had departed in the third over of the innings. Udawatte carried his bat until the end before adding a further 58 runs for the fourth wicket together with Gihan Rupasinghe.

Afghanistan in reply finished on 106 for 8 with wicket keeper batsman Mohamed Shahzad stroking a fluent 56 from 60 balls inclusive of one six and four boundaries. Chinthaka Jayasinghe and Sachithra Senanayake did the damage with two wickets each.

Sri Lanka ‘A’ will take on Ireland in another match at the same venue today.

Sri Lanka ‘A’: 175 for 5 in 20 overs (M. Udawatte 103 n.o, K. Silva 31, G. Rupasinghe 21, M. Nabi 3 for 27).

Afghanistan: 106 for 8 in 20 overs (M. Shahzad 56, M. Ashraf 25, C. Jayasinghe 2 for 24, S. Senanayake 2 for 21).

Patel guides Canada to victory

Eighteen year old Hiral Patel smashed an unbeaten 88 to help Canada pull off a thrilling two run victory over Ireland in their Four Nation Twenty20 cricket tournament fixture worked off at the SSC ground in Maitland Place, yesterday.

The aggressive opener hoisted two sixes and struck nine boundaries during his 61 ball innings as Canada hit up a formidable 176 for 3 from their 20 overs after they were put into bat.

Patel added 68 runs for the first wicket along with his partner Rizwan Cheema and also put on a magnificent 101 runs for the second wicket with his captain Ashish Bagai who hit a 27 ball 42 which was studded with five boundaries.

Ireland in reply fell short by just two runs from reaching their target with O’Brien hitting a top score of 50 from 34 deliveries inclusive of one six and five boundaries.

Canada will confront Afghanistan in another encounter at the same venue today.

Canada: 176 for 3 in 20 overs (H. Patel 88 n.o, R. Cheema 34, A. Bagai 42, A. C. Botha 3 for 39).

Ireland: 172 for 8 (S. Porterfield 19, N. O’Brien 50, C. Wilson 26, U. Bhatti 3 for 26)