PALLEKELE: Angelo Mathews resurrected his all-rounder image to help Sri Lanka defend a total of 307 against West Indies in their One-day International here on Sunday.
West Indies, who needed 33 off the last three overs with five wickets in hand, ended up making 301 for nine in their 50 overs. Mathews bagged four wickets for 59 in 10 overs—the first time he’d done this since way back in July 2015. Fabian Allen had struck three sixes, two fours, and was on 37 off 14 balls and seemed set to close out the game, only nine runs needed off the last five deliveries. But Mathews sharpened the next ball with considerable bowling wit. Allen tried to swing it over midwicket but found Kusal Mendis was standing at just the right place to take the catch above his head.
West Indies’ No 10 and 11 were unable to challenge the target with only four balls remaining. West Indies had reached so close to this target thanks to a 111-run opening partnership between Ambris and Hope. The former made a run-a-ball 60. The latter scored 72.
It had been three good partnerships that propelled Sri Lanka to their imposing score. Avishka Fernando and Dimuth Karunaratne made made 60 together off 62 balls. After the openers fell, the two Kusals—Mendis and Perera—came together to produce perhaps the best batting surge of the match, totaling 89 off 74 in each other’s company, in the middle overs. Towards the end of the innings, Dhananjaya de Silva and Thisara Perera made 64 off 50 balls together.
Sri Lanka won toss
Sri Lanka Innings
WIA Fernando c †Hope b Joseph 29
*FDM Karunaratne c & b Chase 44
MDKJ Perera †c †Hope b Pollard 44
BKG Mendis c Pollard b Joseph 55
AD Mathews b Cottrell 12
DM de Silva c Pollard b Joseph 51
NTCL Perera c sub b Joseph 38
PWH de Silvab Holder 16
I Udanac Pollard b Holder 2
PADLR Sandakan run out 0
N Pradeep not out 0
Extras: (lb 9, w 7) 16
Total: (50 Overs, RR: all out) 307
Fall: 1-60,2-88 , 3-177,4-185,5-214,6-278,7-293,8-306,9-306,10-307
Bowling: SS Cottrell 10-1-58-1, JO Holder 10-0-68-2, AS Joseph 10-0-65-4, RL Chase 10-0-51-1, HR Walsh 3-0-20-0, KA Pollard 7-0-36-1
West Indies Innings
SD Hope †c Mendis b Udana 72
SW Ambris b PWH de Silva 60
N Pooran c sub b Mathews 50
*KA Pollard c Udana b Mathews 49
DM Bravo run out 8
JO Holder c Mendis b Mathews 8
FA Allenc Mendis b Mathews 37
HR Walsh run out 2
RL Chase run out 0
AS Joseph not out 0
SS Cottrell not out 1
Extras(b 3, lb 2, w 9) 14
Total: (50 Overs, 7 wickets) 301
Fall: 1-111,2-171 ,3-218 ,4-240 ,5-253 ,6-275 ,7-287 ,8-294 ,9-299
Bowling: N Pradeep 4.3-1-22-0, NLTC Perera 7.3-0-54-0, I Udana 10-0-76-1, AD Mathews10-0-59-4, PADLR Sandakan 3-0-31-0, PWH de Silva 10-0-41-1, DM de Silva 5-0-13-0
Result: Sri Lanka won by 6 runs
Man of the match: Angelo Mathews (SL)
Player of the series: Wanindu Hasaranga (SL)
Series: Sri Lanka won the 3-match series 3-0
Umpires: Paul Wilson (Australia), Raveendra Wimalasiri (Sri Lanka). TV Umpire: Marais Erasmus (South Africa). Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (India)
