Upul Tharanga hit a defiant captain’s knock of 120 off 124 balls to steer the Sri Lanka Cricket XI to a superb 2-wicket win over the West Indies in the first warm-up match of the home series at the P. Sara Stadium on Monday. The near run a ball cameo innings was tempo setting in drumming up a Sri Lankan fight back right upfront opening the innings from the early perils of having lost co-opener Sadun Weerakkody and one drop batsman Pathum Nissanka for ducks as the veteran championed the victory trail of overhauling the tall score of 282 by the West Indies. His innings contained all of 16 boundaries and a six. He was associated in a third-wicket alliance of 198 runs with Asela Gunaratne who made 64 off 75 balls inclusive of 7 boundaries.

The West Indian innings was given a century momentum by Darren Bravo who scored exactly 100 off 88 balls filled with 14 boundaries and a six. The other main run contributors were Ambris and Pooran with 41 apiece. Madushanka took 3 for 47 and Asitha Fernando 2 for 17 for the Sri Lanka Cricket XI.

CHIEF SCORES:

West Indies 282 All out (49.4 Overs) Run rate: 5.67 (D.M. Bravo 100, S.W. Ambris 41, N. Pooran Retd hurt 41, F.A. Allen 28, J.O.Holder 22, A.M. Fernando 2/17, D. Madushanka 3/47)

Sri Lanka Cricket XI 283/8 (47.3 Overs) Run rate: 5.95 (U. Tharanga 120, D.A.S. Gunaratne 64, , S.T. de Silva n.o. 25, L.UPerera  , Igalagamage 22, D.H..P. Tharanga n.o. 14, A.K. Perera 12,  S.S. Cottrell 2/22, H.R. Walsh 2/52, F.A. Allen 2/62)

By Srian Obeyesekere

-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-