The Sri Lankan u-17 youngsters recorded an impressive 7 wicket win against their English opponents in the 3rd limited over game played today at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Kettharama.
Winning the toss, the Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka invited the visitors to face leather first. It was a wonderful start for the home team when the English first wicket fell for just 26 runs. Smartly bowled by Richmond College, Galle spinner; Wanindu Hasaranga to stump Harry Dearden.
A solid partnership of 44 runs between Joe Weatherly and a reliable innings by Captain Hameed once again of 45 and 40 runs respectively, gave something for the Englishmen to cheer about. Although Weatherly took some time to settle himself down, he tried to catch up but was not successful trying to accelerate, ending up with a strike rate on the slower side for limited over cricket.
Ben Green also made a noteworthy contribution of 39 runs off 48 balls adding some quick runs to the board but his innings came to an end as a result of a brilliant outstretched catch to his left at point by Damith Silva. The Sri Lankan fielding was top notch. The boys were all over the place, aggressively throwing themselves around to stop the extra runs eventually putting the pressure on the batsmen to go over the field which they were successful but eventually paying the price.
It was strange to observe only one fast bowler given the exposure in the Sri Lankan side. At the pre-tournament media conference, the coaches, management and captain stressed on the fact that their main motive was “not to win matches but to give exposure and to play good cricket providing opportunities for players to shine”. Therefore it begged the question why Sri Lanka went in with just one seamer which would have been a good test for a bowler facing the seamer-bred English boys. The thinking seemed to have been the selection of Malinga Amarasinghe of Nalanda because of his all-round qualities.
In the later part of the English innings however, some lusty hitting by Jared Warner and Ben Green who put on 40 runs in quick time took the visitors to a decent score of 194 for 7 in their allotted 50 overs.
The hosts had to chase this total down with a required run rate of 3.88 runs per over, easily achievable for the formidable Sri Lankan line-up.
The Sri Lankan innings got off to start with a majestic straight drive past the bowler for four runs in the very first ball by the Lankan skip Charith Asalanka who looked very solid and positive driving the ball with confidence and even pulling the ball over the ropes. The only change in the side; Thanuka Dabare of Lumbini College who came in for Shanugeeth Shammuganathan who was not in the original 15 man squad did not look too convincing as the opening partner of Asalanka. He struggled to find the middle of the bat and top edged a ball in the air right after scoring a wonderful boundary over mid wicket adding just 8 runs to the score in the end.
The English pace attack looked threatening this match with Saqib Mahmood coming into the side. He generated a lot of pace for his age and looked to attack the wickets and also wasn’t afraid to pitch the ball half way down the track with good pace to surprise the batsman once in a while.
Kaveen Bandara and Avishka Fernando who were very slow to get things going. However, they got their act together soon enough to end up with honors. Avishka Fernando scored a well compiled 34 off 54 before falling victim to Mahmood.
Kamindu Mendis and Bandara eventually saw the hosts through with Kaveen Bandara ending unbeaten on 81 and Mendis unbeaten on 26. Mahmood ended up as the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2 for 37 and Brad Taylor ended with figures of 1 for 23.
The Lankans won the one day series of the England U-17 Tour to Sri Lanka quite convincingly in the end 2-1 with a display of some fine cricket in the last two games and would look to continue this form in the 3 day game which is due to start on the 24th at the Colts Cricket Club, Colombo.
Chief Scores:
England U17 – 194/7, 50 overs (J.Weatherly 45, H.Hameed 40, B.Green 39. D.silva 2/34, W.Hasaranga 2/20)
Sri Lanka U17 – 195/3 40.3 overs (K.Bandara 81*, K.Mendis 26*, C. Asalanka 35, A.Fernando 34. S.Mahmood 2/37, B.Taylor 1/23)
Sri Lanka U-17 beat England U-17 by 7 wickets and won the one day series 2-1.
