Sri Lanka in thrilling win ….

A masterly 59 by former skipper Tillekeratne Dilshan coupled with useful contributions from the bat of Ajantha Mendis helped Sri Lanka to beat West Indies by one wicket and go one up in the three match ODI series in a thrilling match curtailed to 26 overs per side due to rain at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Sri Lanka were set a revised target of 163 in 26 overs with the the Duckworth and Lewis system coming into play after West Indies reached 159 for 8 in their 26 overs.

Sri Lanka was on course for a win ,but with the dismissal of Angelo Mathews and a three wicket burst in one over by Sunil Narine saw Sri Lanka drifting towards a certain defeat losing four wickets for 13 runs at one stage. Ajantha Mendis a bowler turned batsman turned the tide of the match towards the host with an unbeaten 21 facing 20 deliveries and achieving victory with a six.

Windies were 40 for 3 in the 15th over when rain intervened, and their middle order comprising Andre Russell (41) and skipper Jason Holder 36 guided them towards their final destination 159 for 8.

Play began around 3.40 pm under lights, and Sri Lanka electing to field after winning the toss got off to a resounding start.z_p28-sccc.jpg

With conditions suitable for pace bowling Lasith Malinga opened with a maiden to Andre Fletcher.

But in the third ball of Suranga Lakmal’s first over he trapped Johnson Charles lbw and Lakmal in his next over forced Marlon Samuels to cut a short ball and Tillekeratne Dilshan at backward point took a tumbling catch. Danushka Gunatileka and Shehan Jayasuriya made their ODI debut, and after five overs each bowled by Malinga and Suranga Lakmal who took the wickets of Andre Fletcher, Johnson Charles and Marlon Samuels, spin was introduced in the company of Sachitra Senanayake and Shehan Jayasuriya. In the tenth over.

With the score reading 40 for 3 after 14.3 overs a steady drizzle drove the players into their respective dressing rooms.

The persistence drizzle did not permit the covers to be taken off fully and it was a case of the ground staff covering and uncovering the playing surface from time to time.

However, after a tremendous job by the ground staff, play was possible around 8.30 pm with the overs reduced to 26 overs per side.

Shehan Jayasuriya completing his unfinished over clean bowled Jonathan Carter while cutting. But Andre Russell who displayed his batting prowess in the practice game was quickly on his strides, Russell and Darren Bravo were engaged in a 58 run stand for the fifth wicket and Andre struck a quick fire 41 facing twenty three deliveries with three fours and three sixes to uplift the tempo.

In the quest of quick runs Darren Bravo moved away from his stumps for a big hit and was bowled by Ajantha Mendis, then skipper Jason Holder hit a rapid 36 off thirteen balls with two fours and three sixes as the West indian reached 159 for 8 in 26 overs.

Suranga Lakmal who gave the early break through finished with 3 for 15 and Ajantha Mendis took 2 for 46 in his four overs.