DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka, CMC – Slow batting and then rain thwarted West Indies A’s run chase and handed Sri Lanka A a six-run victory under the Duckworth/Lewis method, in the opening one-day game of the three-match series here yesterday.
In pursuit of 246 for victory at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, West Indies A had crawled to 71 for two after 20 overs when rained intervened to end the game. With the par score 77, the Caribbean side found themselves on the wrong side of the calculation.
Openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Nkrumah Bonner were the culprits, posting 40 for the first wicket but consuming a whopping 72 balls in doing so.
Brathwaite was unbeaten on 24 from 44 balls when the rains came while Bonner made 21 from 45 balls with three fours.
The right-handed Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood (14) tried to raise the tempo by adding 28 off 41 balls for the second wicket but Jamaican Blackwood fell to a catch behind off left-arm spinner Lakshan Sandakan in the 19th over, after facing 28 balls and cracking two fours.
Earlier, Sri Lanka A posted 245 for eight off their 50 overs after being sent in. They were carried by half-centuries from Lahiru Thirimanne who struck 74, Dinesh Chandimal who got 60 and Thilina Kandamby who carved out 58.
The hosts were floundering at ten for two in the sixth over before Thirimanne and Chandimal added 105 for the third wicket. Left-hander Thirimanne faced 101 balls and counted six fours and a six while Chandimal, a right-hander, hit four fours and a six off 74 deliveries.
Thirimanne then posted a further 50 for the fourth wicket with Kithuwuran Vithanage (29) and another 34 with Kandamby before finally departing in the 44th over.
Kandamby, an experienced left-hander, finished off the innings nicely in a brisk knock that required only 40 balls and includes seven fours.
Fast bowler Ronsford Beaton (2-40), slow bowler Kraigg Brathwaite (2-54) and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller (2-57) all finished with two wickets apiece.
