Sri lankan women cricketers in thrilling win

Anuradha Abeysekera from Galle

Some superb fielding brought Sri Lanka their first triumph in the T20 women's World Cup against West Indies with a thrilling six-run victory here in Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

The match was initially reduced to 17-overs due to bad weather and Windies asked the local girls to bat after winning the toss.

Windies introduced spinners early in the second over but Sri Lankan openers seemed quite comfortable and made a 21-run stand for the first wicket. Left arm spinner Shanel Daley trapped Inoka Galagedara LBW in the fourth over claiming the first Lankan wicket.

Inoka scored 15 runs including three boundaries. Chamari Atapattu came in one down to join Yasoda Mendis but soon Yasoda was sent back to the pavilion for eight runs when she tried a big hit off Stafani Taylor and was caught at the mid-off by Juliana Nero when the total read 24.

Sri Lankan skipper Shashikala Siriwardena who joined in number three top scored for the Lankans with an unbeaten 18 in 18 balls studded with two boundaries. After Chamari was ruled out LBW for seven runs in the ninth over off Shemaine Campbelle, Sripali Weerakkody joined the captain.

Sri Lanka reached fifty-run margin in the tenth over and again rain started to hinder the play. Lankan innings had to stop at 10.2 overs with the score board reading 50 for three wickets.

West Indians were given a target of 48 runs to win in eight overs according to the Duckworth Lewis method.

Sri Lankan girls showcased a brilliant performance in the field and restricted Windies for 42/8 in eight overs to win the match.

There were four run-outs and two stumpings out of the eight wickets of the West Indian innings. Chamari Atapattu was awarded the Player of the Match for her excellent bowling figures of two overs, one maiden, nine runs for two wickets. Inoka Galagedara was also claimed two wickets in her two overs leaking nine runs.

Windies opened the account in style with a boundary by Tremayne Smart off Sripali Weerakkody's first ball and scored nine runs in the first over. Their first four wickets came in regular intervals and they were 27/3 at the end of fourth over.

The big collapse started in the end of sixth over and three wickets were fallen in the following over of Chamari without adding a single run to the total. Stacy-Ann King was the only player to reach double figures in the West Indies inning who scored 12 runs off seven balls.

[Scores in Brief]

Sri Lanka - 50/3 in 10.2 overs (Shashikala Siriwardena 18 not out, Inoka Galagedara 15, Shanel Daley 1/5, Stafanie Taylor 1/4, Shemain Campbelle 1/8)

West Indies - 42/8 in eight overs (Stacy-Ann King 12, Deandra Dottin 4, Juliana Nero 4, Chamari Atapattu 2/4, Inoka Galagedara 2/9)