By Srian Obeyesekere

Sri Lanka Women continued their domination of the West Indies Women for their second successive win by five wickets to already secure the 3-match series yesterday at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota.

In a bilateral ODI series triumph after 16 years, the Lankan batters overcame the early dismissals of their star performer skipper Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama in batting out a 21 for 2 setback after 5.4 overs to reaching 93 for 5 with young Vishmi Gunaratne taking on the responsibility to seeing her side home with a timely maiden half century off exactly 50 balls.

Having watched her captain bowled for 1 by pacer Aaliyah Alleynne in the third over and Harshitha Samarawickrama depart for a duck, Gunaratne, the 18-year-old schoolgirl prodigy buckled down to the job with great aplomb  striking 9 boundaries and a six in coming to the show. She found great support from Kavisha Dilhari who stroked 28 off 38 inclusive of 4 boundaries as the 58-run third-wicket partnership put the West Indians out of the contest.

The West Indies Women, opting to bat first, were bundled out for 91 in 19.3 overs with off spinner Kavisha Dilhari running circles claiming 4 for 20 with only upfront, Rashada Williams among the runs for the visitors scoring 24 containing 4 boundaries. Achini Kulasuriya and skipper Athapaththu added 2 wickets to the bag each in hastening the visitors decline.

CHIEF SCORES:

West Indies Women 92 (31Overs) Rashada Williams 24 , Aaliyah Alleyne 16, Afy Fletcher 16, Cheden Nation 12, Kavisha Dilhari 4/20, Chamari Athapaththu 2/8, Achini Kulasuriya 2/16, Sugandika Kumari 1/16)

Sri Lanka Women 93/5 (21.2 Overs) Vishmi Gunaratne 50, Kavisha Dilhari 28, Karishma Ramharak 2/29, Zaida James 1/12, Shamilia Connell 1/13, Aaliyah Alleyne 1/15)