Sri Lanka “A” defy Cottrell, Hodge to clinch tense victory
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Hometown boy Sheldon Cottrell followed up a half- century from Montcin Hodge with a destructive spell of leftarm fast bowling, but Sri Lanka “A” defied them to clinch a two-wicket victory over West Indies “A” in the first One- day match on Wednesday.
Cottrell grabbed 4- 44 from his allotted 10 overs to lead the Windies “A” bowling, as the Sri Lankans successfully chased 177 for victory under the lights at Sabina Park to take a 1-0 lead in three-match series.
Amila Aponsu formalised the result for Sri Lanka “A”, when he hit the only six of the visitors’ innings with 12 balls remaining.
Leeward Islands Hurricanes opener Hodge anchored the West Indies “A” batting with 54 from 69 balls and Rahkeem Cornwall made 37 to get them to a respectable total off 176 in 48.4 overs following a batting collapse.
Aponsu was the most successful Sri Lankan bowlers with 3-34 from 10 overs, fellow left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara took 2-34 from 10 overs and Chamika Karunaratne bagged 2-36 from seven overs.
Ronsford Beaton grabbed an early scalp for Windies “A”, when he removed Sandun Weerakkody in the second over of the chase, but Cottrell put the Sri Lankans under further pressure removing Roshen Silva and Dhananjaya De Silva cheaply before the end of the first Power Play.
Cottrell and off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall continued to make inroads into the Sri Lanka “A” batting, leaving them 126 for seven in the 38th over.
But the Windies “A” met stiff resistance from the visitors’ lower- order with Shehan Jayasuriya, not out on 31, rallying with Pushpakumara and Aponsu to add 55 and take them over the finish line.
Earlier, Windies “A” failed to build on an opening stand of 67 between Hodge and left- handed hometown boy John Campbell.
After Campbell gave WEST INDIES “A” (maximum 50 overs) M Hodge c Silva b Pushpakumara J Campbell c and b Pushpakumara S Brooks lbw b Aponsu S Ambris c Kumara b Aponsu A McCarthy c Asalanka b Aponsu *+J Hamilton b Kumara R Cornwall c Jayasuriya b Karunaratne K Mayers b Kumara D Jacobs b Kumara R Beaton c and b Karunaratne S Cottrell not out Extras (lb4, w3, nb8) TOTAL (all out, 48.4 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-67, 2-77, 3-105, 4-107, 5-112, 6133, 7-133, 8-162, 9-167 Bowling: Kumara 7.4-0-26-3 (nb5, w1); Jayasuriya 52-7-0 (w1); De Silva 3-0-11-0; Amila Aponsu 10-2-343 ( nb1); Karunaratne 7- 0- 36- 02 ( nb2, w1); Pushpakumara 10-0-35-2; Hasaranga 6-0-23-0
SRI LANKA “A” (target: 177 off 50 overs) +S Weerakkody c Ambris b Beaton N Karunanayake c Brooks b Cornwall R Silva b Cottrell *D De Silva b Cottrell C Asalanka c Brooks b Cottrell W Hasaranga lbw b Cornwall C Karunaratne c Mayers b Cottrell S Jayasuriya not out M Pushpakumara b Mayers A Aponsu not out Extras (w23) TOTAL (8 wkts, 48 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-18, 3-45, 4-61, 5-83, 6-118, 7126, 8-149 Bowling: Cottrell 10-1-44-4 (w6); Beaton 10-3-32-1 (w5); Mayers 9-1-37-1 (w4); Cornwall 10-2-31-2 (w7); Jacobs 5-0-26-0; Campbell 4-0-11-0 (w1) Result: Sri Lanka “A” won by two wickets Series: Sri Lanka “A” lead three-match series 1-0 Toss: Windies “A” Player-of-the-Match: A Aponsu (Sri Lanka “A”) Umpires: V Smith, C Taylor Match referee: M Ragoonath Reserve umpire: R Samuels
Pushpakumara a return catch in the 19th over, there was little substance from the rest of the batting with Cornwall being the only other batsman to pass 20. The series continues
today with the pivotal second match again under the lights at this venue before they return to the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Complex on Sunday for the series finale.