Windies A square series after crushing victory

PALLEKELE, Lanka, CMC

Sri – West Indies A produced another clinical performance to crush Sri Lanka A by a massive 333 runs on Friday’s final day of the second four-day “Test”, and square their threematch series at 1-1.

The Caribbean side bundled out the hosts for a meagre 147 in their second innings, an hour after lunch at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, to complete a dominant outing and make amends for their sevenwicket defeat in the first “Test” in Colombo last week.

West Indies A were propelled by their trio of seamers as Delorn Johnson (2-13), Kemar Roach (224) and Keon Joseph (230) all picked up two wickets apiece while left-arm spinner Gudakesh MotieKanhai claimed two for 33.

Jeffrey Vandersay topscored with 47 batting at number nine and Charith Asalanka hit 34 but Sri Lanka A failed to come to grips with the Windies A attack.

Resuming at 36 for two, the hosts lost Avishka Fernando for 18 in the second over of the day with no addition to the score, caught at the wicket off Joseph.

Three overs later with just three runs added, Fernando’s overnight partner Roshen Silva followed after adding one run to his morning score of 11, when he was run out and when Asela Gunaratne perished for five to Joseph 18 balls later, Sri Lanka A were tottering on 42 for five.

Left-arm seamer Johnson bowled wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella for six in the next over at 50 for six before a couple of small partnerships held up Windies A’s march to victory.

Asalanka put on 27 for the seventh wicket with Anuk Fernando (16) and added a further 30 for the eighth with Vandersay – a stand which ensured the hosts reached lunch at 101 for seven.

Left-hander Asalanka faced 66 balls and struck four fours while Vandersay attacked, striking six fours and three sixes off 70 deliveries.

Roach returned to get Fernando and off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall accounted for Asalanka in the fifth over after lunch. When Motie-Kanhai got his first wicket of the game by bowling Lahiru Kamara without scoring, Sri Lanka A were on the brink of defeat at 116 for nine.

It was then Vandersay counter-attacked, scoring all 31 runs of the last wicket stand with Asitha Fernando before falling lbw to Motie-Kanhai.

The final four-day Delorn Johnson

“Test” starts Dambulla next Tuesday. in FIRED UP: Fast bowler Keon Joseph snatched two early wickets to make inroads into Sri Lanka A’s batting.