Sri Lanka Under 19s captain Kusal Mendis smashed an elegant century to help Sri Lanka Under 19s register a resounding 95 run win over the touring Australia Under 19s at Colts Cricket Club grounds yesterday.
Australian skipper Alex Gregory won the toss and invited Sri Lanka to take the first lease of the wicket. Sri Lankan opening stand was only 36 runs before Sadeera Samarawickrama was dismissed. Kusal Mendis joined Hashan Dumindu and they put on only 15 runs for the 2nd wicket. Kusal Mendis was anchoring the innings with his beautiful stroke making and made small but useful partnerships with his middle order batsmen.
Kusal Mendis was joined by Harsha Rajapakshe when the score was on 147 and they put on the highest partnership for Sri Lanka when they accumulated 75 runs for the 6th wicket. Both settled players were dismissed when the score was exactly on 222 and Sri Lankan tail wagged with lusty blows to take the total of the home team to 262 in 50 overs. James Bazley and Matthew Fotia took 3 wickets each for the baby kangaroos.
Set to chase 263 runs in 50 over, Australia lost wickets on regular intervals as Sri Lanka bowlers were very disciplined and accurate to trouble the Australian batting line up under hot & humid conditions which they are not used too at all. Number 8 batsmen Cameron Valente top scored for the visitors when he made an useful 47 runs to guide the Australian score to some respectability. Youth ODI debutant Harsha Rajapakshe took 3 wickets with his slow left arm spinners while AK Tyron and Lakshan Jayasinghe took 2 wickets each for the winners. Australians were eventually bowled out for 167 runs in the 46th over.
With this win, Sri Lanka Under 19s go 1-0 up in the 3 match Youth ODI series.
Chief Scores :
Sri Lanka U19 – 262/8 in 50 overs : Kusal Mendis 103, Hashan Dumindu 27, Harsha Rajapakshe 33, James Bazley 3/32, Matthew Fotia 3/63.
Australia U19 – 167 all out in 45.1 overs : Cameron Valente 47, Alex Gregory 27, Thomas Andrews 20, Harsha Rajapakshe 3/21, AK Tyron 2/30, Lakshan Jayasinghe 2/31.
