BY Brian Thomas.
The surface used for the second T 20 game was the same pitch used for the first T 20 , and the playing surface was void of grass and much drier than what the visitors would have bargained for. Spin on the given conditions was inevitable. Hence, the power hitting WEST indies simply exposed to their lack of negotiating quality spin was evident as Sri Lanka thumped the Caribbean lads by 73 runs in a one-sided game yesterday.
Credit must be given to the Sri Lankan think tank headed by Sanath Jayasuriya, who decided that playing an extra spiner at the expense of a seamer would bear fruit on a used pitch and the move brought the dividence without let or hinderence. The experts predicted a total of 175 by the team batting first will be a winning total. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat , and they compiled 162 runs for 5 wickets in their alloted 20 overs , with Pathum Nissanka showing his capability with 54 runs with his free flowing stroke play. Kusal Mendis, who found it difficult to get bat to ball , ultimately made 26 runs aided by some loose deliveries dished out by the Caribbean seamers.
Kusal Janith Perera had his share of problems trying to reverse sweep the West Indian spinners, namely Roston Chase and left arm spinner Mohotti. However, he made 24 valuable runs with Kamindu Mendis getting limited opotunity at the wickets. His positive attitude paid off as he made a quick fire. 19 to help Sri Lanka with a par score of 162 for 5 wickets. None of the West Indian bowlers looked impressive. They leaked vital runs , guilty of bowling into the hitting zone of the Sri Lankan batters, trying to buy wickets, a ploy that did not succeed but let the visitors dictate terms.
The target of 163 for the big striking West indies was definitely not a herculean task. The West Indian batsman had no answer to the left arm spin of Dunith Wellalage and the right arm off spin of part-time bowler Charith Asalanka .Wellalage registered his career best of conceeding only 9 runs in his 4 overs , whilst he scalped 3 Caribbean wickets. Charith Asalanka, who failed with the bat, got purchase off the spin friendly track with his arm to scalp 2 wickets for 6 runs. Sadly, Wanindu Hasaranga and Mahesh Theekshana were not as effective as both Wellalage and Asalanka. Hasaranga was expensive given the situation of Sri Lankan dominance as he leaked 32 runs with 2 scalps, in a West Indian total of 89 all out.
Theekshana took 1 wicket. Whilst Pathirana also accounted for a scalp. It was a breath of fresh air to see Nuwan Thushara in the playing eleven. He bowled just one over for 9 runs since the pitch was not very seamer friendly. Sri Lanka won by 73 runs, the West Indies must address how-to battle against spin to be competitive in the third and final game. Which will be the decider on Thursday the 17th Exclusive report on Go for Gold will be scripted on the West Indies tour of Sri Lanka , we look forward to your reading company as we report views that matter.
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