Kusal leads Sri Lanka’s whitewash over West Indies

Kusal Janith Perera hit his second consecutive half-century as Sri Lanka completed their 3-0 whitewash over West Indies when they won the third and final ODI by 19 runs (D/L) at Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Once again rains heavily interrupted the play as an innings was shortened to 36 overs per side.
Marlon Samuels’ special knock of 110 in 95 balls helped West Indies post 205 for 9 but due to the D/L calculations, hosts’ needed only 190 and in the end they were 180 for 5 in 32.3 overs when rain intervened once again to end the match in favour of the Sri Lankans.

Sri Lanka got off to a flying start with Dilshan and Kusal putting 40 runs in 5.3 overs before the former was caught by Jonathan Carter at point off Carlos Brathwaite for 21. Incidentally, he was dropped in the previous ball in similar fashion by the same culprit.

Sri Lanka v West Indies

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Thirimanne (21) and Kusal built on the solid foundation and added 55 runs in 61 balls before the vice-captain played a rather loose cover drive straight to extra cover off Jason Holder. Kusal reached his 7th half-ton with a glance to the leg-side but soon found his way to the pavilion when his short-arm jab to mid-wicket off Rampaul resulted in his dismissal.

Dinesh Chandimal (23) fell to the bowling of Carter in the 25th over when the ball took the inside edge and went straight to the wicket-keeper as the game was shaping for a tense end. Milinda Siriwardana edged to the keeper off Holder in the 29th over as Sri Lanka slipped to 161 for 5 but skipper Angelo Mathews (27*) and youngster Shehan Jayasuriya (11*) batted sensibly till the end to ensure the Lankan victory even though rain had the final say in the game.

Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field first on a surface which had enough help for the seam bowlers.

Lasith Malinga provided an early breakthrough in the very first over of the game when Johnson Charles fended the ball straight to Dilshan at cover point and was equally supported by Suranga Lakmal from the other end when trapped Andre Fletcher LBW from a nice in-swinger.

The visitors lost four quick wickets inside first six overs for a mere score of 18 when Jermain Blackwood was dismissed as the same fashion of Johnson Charles and Darren Bravo shouldered a Suranga Lakmal delivery from around the wickets.

None of Windies batsmen barring Samuels made any substantial contribution. Denesh Ramdin was hurried by a Dushmantha Chameera bouncer and was caught by wicket-keeper.

Left-handed Carter paddle-swept Ajantha Mendis in the 19th over but only found keeper’s gloves as the Lankans tightened the screws on the team from Caribbean Islands. The home team restricted their counterparts to 109 for 7 at one stage when skipper Holder became Chameera’s 2nd victim in the 24th over.

Samuels showed excellent hitting prowess in the final 12 overs to score his 9th ODI century and end the innings on a high. He shared 55 runs for the 8th wicket off 31 deliveries with Brathwaite (18) and 31 runs for the 9th wicket with Sunil Narine to give any chance for the West Indies to avoid a whitewash.