By Pranavesh Sivakumar
It was a day, Sri Lanka, shone with the bat and ball, courtesy to Sangeeth Cooray’s 88, and Chamika Karunaratne’s five-for, as they put on the first win of the tour, on the board by six-wickets, under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, at the 3rd one-dayer, on Monday (10), at Belgaum, India.
Cream on the cake was ably supported by teammates, Niroshan Dickwella (62), Shehan (66*), who ensured a winning performance.
Visitors, having had nightmares chasing, uphill targets, needed a collective effort. In reply to 291, they were given the start, collecting 62, for the opening wicket. Wicket-keeper batsman, Dickwella, used his aggressive style to score 62 from 58.
Tourists, gave a taste of the host medicine, racking up a 110-run partnership, that saw them pass 200, and keeping the chasing hopes alive. Sangeeth was unlucky to miss out on converting into match-winning knock, out for an elegant eighty-eight, including three over-the-lines.
Nonetheless, though, Shehan Jayasuriya and Dasun Shanaka were in control of the game. They were in need of 71 of the last 10-overs when rain interrupted.
Finally, the game was awarded to Sri Lanka, to their sigh of relief, registering their win of the tour, and going 1-2.
India came into the 3rd one-dayer, looking to seal the deal, having dominated the tour, and a woeful winless streak for their opponents. Indians have been imposingly successful, in chasing and defending. This time, winning the toss, batting and skipper Ishan Kishan, moved up the order, for an opening role with Prashanth Chopra.
That, turned out, to be 72 in runs, as the hosts were given a head-start. National cap, Chamika Karunratne, playing his first of the series’ One- Day Internationals (ODI), struck claiming Captain Kishan.
Appeared dissatisfied left out, he struck again removing Ricky Bhui. Gaining grip and in a bid, to thwart fall of more wickets, Prashanth and Deepak Hooda, got together and worked on a 109-run partnership.
During that phase, no Karunaratne nor Lahiru Kumara caused problems. But, immediately having passed the 200-run mark, Karunaratne, was back in action, picking the prize scalp of the centurion Chopra. He faced only 125-balls, to hit a 129, including 19 strikes, crossing-the-line.
After Hooda, had brought up his fifty, the same seamer, added four to his tally. The royalist, satisfied his appetite for wickets, with last of Dube. However, a rapid cameo from Washington Sundar of 26 from 18, gave them 291 for the loss of eight.
Brief scores:
India ‘A’: 291 for eight. 50 overs. (P Chopra 129, J Hooda 53, C Karunaratne 5-36)
Sri Lanka ‘A’: 265 for four. 43.4 overs. (S Cooray 88, S Jayasuriya 65, N Dickwella 62, Dube 2-26).
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