Sri Lanka ease to ODI series win over West Indies
Thursday 5 November 2015 08:58, UK
Sri Lanka beat the West Indies by eight wickets to wrap up a series win with a game in hand.
After a thrilling finish for the first ODI, Colombo witnessed a one-sided affair as Sri Lanka stormed to an unassailable 2-0 lead in a rain-affected fixture.
The only disappointment for the hosts was losing Kusal Perera on 99 as he chased down a revised target of 225 under the The Duckworth-Lewis method.
West Indies chose to bat after winning the toss, but they got off to a shaky start, losing Andre Fletcher for 0 in just the second ball of the day.
After Jermaine Blackwood went for 9, the visitors were up against it but Darren Bravo and Johnson Charles' partnership of 70 steadied the ship (99-3) before Bravo was caught by Tillakaratne Dilshan on 21.
Charles was at least looking confident in the middle, his half century reached in style off just 32 balls. This one of four sixes before he was trapped lbw by Milinda Siriwardana.
Unfortunately rain played its part - just as it had done in the first ODI. Resuming on 149-4, Marlon Samuels (63) reached his 50 in 51 balls until a misunderstanding with Kraigg Brathwaite left both batsmen stranded at the same end.
West Indies lost their remaining three wickets to run-outs in the final over to be all out for 214 with Lasith Malinga getting two of them through direct hits.
With West Indies all out on 214 from 38 overs, Sri Lanka were set a D/L target of 225 to win.
Dilshan fell on 17, but his wicket aside, it was a comfortable stroll for Sri Lanka as the West Indies struggled to find the answers with the ball.
Their bowling looked listless in the absence of captain Jason Holder, who was suspended due to slow over-rate, and injured all-rounder Andre Russell.
Perera's six brought up his half century, the first of two sixes that over, but it appeared as though cramp was beginning to trouble him in his hamstring.
Sri Lanka's second wicket stand was proving difficult to break. Perera and Lahiru Thirimanne reaching their 100 partnership off 104 balls.
Indeed, Thirimanne was also looking in fine fettle, he peppered the offside with some outstanding shots to reach his 50.
After the pair strolled to their 150 partnership, Perera looked set to reach his 100, but on 99 he hooked a shot straight in the air off paceman Ravi Rampaul.
Visibly in pain while running between the wickets, he hit six fours and four sixes, but ultimately fell agonisingly short.
He trudged off with an understandable look of dejection; missing out on his third ODI century.
In the end it was left to Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal (15) to seal both victory in the match and the series, the former unbeaten on 81.
