Following a solid start from the openers Sri Lanka ‘A’ no.3 batsman Ashan Priyanjan’s quick fire 70 ball 111 seals the second ODI and series in style for Sri Lanka.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Sri Lanka ‘A’ team’s openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Mahela Udawatta started solidly with a century (104 run) partnership however Andrew White dismissed Danushka Gunathilaka LBW for 55 of 76 balls with 7 fours and a six.
Soon after losing his opening partner Mahela Udawatta followed him into the shed when he was caught by John Anderson off the bowling of Craig Young for 60 of 84 balls with 7 fours when the Lankan score was 124.
Following a solid start no.3 batsman and captain Ashan Priyanjan scored a dazzling 111 of just 70 balls with 15 fours and 3 sixes. Wicket-keeper batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s run-a-ball 29 and left-hand batsman Chaturanga de Silva’s sparkling 60 of 27 balls with 11 fours and a solitary six helped Sri Lanka ‘A’ to a mammoth 329 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs. Ireland’s Craig Young was the pick of the bowlers as he took 4 wickets for a mere 44 of his 10 overs.
Ireland began dreadfully in the bid to chase a mammoth 330, when Lankan leg-spinner Seekuge Prasanna bagged his first of five wickets when he caught and bowled star opener Stuart Poynter off the first ball of the Irish innings. In his next over of the innings Prasanna picked his second wicket of the game when he struck Andy Baldirnie plumb in front to reduce Ireland to 7runs for 2 wickets.
John Anderson began the rescue for the Irish but was stuck at one end of the wicket as he watched his team slump to a dismal 49 for 4. John Anderson’s 32-run innings came to an end as Ireland fell further back on the scoreboard to 77 for 5.
Stuart Thompson was the highest scorer for Ireland as he managed a 52 ball 51 with 2 fours and 3 sixes. Andrew White became Seekuge Prasanna’s third wicket as he was clean bowled by the leg spinner. Andy McBrine and Eddie Richardson scored 31 and 27 respectively but failed to bring Ireland even close to the required 330 run mark. Seekuge Prasanna bagged five, Dushmantha Chameera grabbed three while Lahiru Gamage and Sachith Pathirana scalped a wicket a piece to hand Sri Lanka ‘A’ a huge win of 107 runs.
Brief Scores:
Sri Lanka ‘A’ – 329 for 8 in 50 overs: Ashan Priyanjan 111, Mahela Udawatta 60, Chaturanga de Silva 60, Craig Young 4/44.
Ireland – Stuart Thompson 51, Andrew White 45, Seekuge Prasanna – 5/50, Dushmantha Chameera -3/34.
