Sri Lanka in tri-series final

Sri Lanka 330-7 50 overs (Dickwella 94, Mendis 94, Holder 3/57) beat West Indies 329-9 50 overs (Lewis 148, Holder 45*, Lakmal 2/67, Kulasekara

2/73) by one run SRI Lanka picked up their second win in One Day International triangular cricket series when they defeated West Indies by one run in what turned out to be a thriller decided in the last over at Queens Sports Club yesterday.

The win saw Sri Lanka qualify for Sunday’s final where they will play the winner of tomorrow’s clash between Zimbabwe and West Indies who meet in the last preliminary round match tomorrow.

Half centuries by Niroshan Dickwella as well as man of the match Kusal Mendis who both fell six runs short of the century mark powered Sri Lanka to 330 for seven in 50 overs. Opener Evin Lewis made a fighting 148 runs but that proved not enough as West Indies made 329 for nine.

Sri Lanka did not enjoy a great start in their batting as they were one down with 18 runs to their credit, Kusal Perera gone for seven, bowled by fast bowler Shannon Gabriel.

Dhananjaya de Silva and Niroshan Dickwella repaired the damage with some powerful hitting. During the first Powerplay, Sri Lanka had progressed to 71 for one, at an impressive 7.1 runs per over. West Indies slowed things down by bringing on the spin bowlers, Ashley Nurse and Kraigg Brathwate. Dickwella was the more aggressive of the two batsmen, reaching his half century from 50 balls, with five fours and one six. De Silva also got to his half ton in 52 deliveries, with six fours. De Silva perished for 58 in 60 balls, caught and bowled by Kraigg Brathwaite, Sri Lanka were two down for 123.

Mendis did not take time to settle down when he joined Dickwella in the middle with the left hander reaching his 50 in 47 deliveries having put away seven fours.

Dickwella was given out leg before wicket for 94, trapped by Jason Holder of 106 balls, smacking seven fours and one six. That brought an end to a third wicket stand of 107 runs between Dickwella and Mendis.

Shehan Jayasuriya perished on nine, bowled by Carlos Brathwaite with Sri Lanka four down for 258.

Mendis continued towards his century, lining up Nurse for two massive consecutive sixes but the bowler had the last say, the right hander caught behind by Shai Hope. That ended Mendis innings which saw him face up to 73 deliveries with seven fours and five sixes.

Holder picked his second wicket, Asela Gunaratne caught at deep mid wicket by Rovman Powell, Sri Lanka six down for 291. Upul Tharanga was put down on 16 by Johnson Charles off Holder’s bowling. Tharanga became Holder’s third victim with the last ball of the Sri Lanka innings. Holder ended with three for 57 runs in 10 overs.

In their run chase, West Indies had Lewis dropped on 26 by De Silva off Suranga Lakmal’s bowling. West Indies lost Charles for 26 in the eighth over, removed by Lakmal, caught by Tharanga.

Lewis got to his 50 in 41 balls, seven fours and one six. On 53, Lewis was given out leg before wicket to Nuwan Pradeep by umpire Richard Illingworth but that was overturned on review as it turned out that the delivery pitched outside leg stump. Kraigg Brathwaite was the second West Indies batsman to fall when he was bowled by Gunaratne for 16.

Hope, scorer of a century against Zimbabwe was run out for 25 by Nuwan Pradeep with the direct hit. Lewis got to his maiden 100 in 91 deliveries, two of those balls gone for four. Carter perished for six, a direct aim at the stumps by Tharanga reducing West Indies t 198 for four. Lewis on 114 was almost run out but Dickwella dislodged the bails before the ball got to him. Powell was trapped leg before wicket by Nuwan Kulasekara for 10 to leave West Indies on 224 for five. Lewis smashed two huge sixes off left arm spinner Sachith Patirana’s seventh over as he kept West Indies in the hunt. Confusion between the West Indies batsmen resulted in Lewis being run out by Mendis for 148 in 122, with 15 fours and four sixes.

Holder was joined by Carlos Brathwaite with the two keeping West Indies on track for victory.

Carlos Brathwaite went for 16, bowled by Kulasekara, West Indies seven down with 307, still requiring 24 to win.

With West Indies needing 19 runs to win, Lakmal removed Nurse, caught behind by Dickwella.

West Indies required 10 runs from the last over bowled by Pradeep with Holder and Sulieman Benn at the crease. Holder took single off the first ball, Benn failed to connect with the second before the left hander slammed the third for a six. No run was taken from the fourth delivery of the over, Benn was taken in the deep by De Silva for 11. With the batsmen having crossed, it brought Holder on strike with three required from the last ball of the match. The West Indies captain only managed a single for Sri Lanka win. — @ Mdawini_29