By Srian Obeyesekere
In what by large marked a new chapter in Sri Lanka’s women’s cricket, Harshitha Samarawickrama starred in a heroic Player of the Match 77 off 93 balls hitting 8 boundaries figuring in a game defining 128-run fourth wicket bonding together with Kavishka Dilhari who stroked an equally compelling 61 off 75 balls powered by 6 boundaries and 1 over the top to taking Sri Lanka to a much needed 5-wicket triumph reaching 237 off 46.3 overs to overhauling South Africa’s 235 in 50 overs in what was the host team’s fourth highest chase in the Servo Cup Women’s Tri Series third face off yesterday at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
The left handed Samarawickrama rose to sn atoning show with the bat following the suicidal run out in the opener against India in a twosone workmanlike display of stroke play together with the right handed Dilhari having come together with Sri Lanka on 3 for 90 at the fall of Hasini Perera’s wicket after 13 overs in a typically rescuing 42 off 55 filled with 6 fours, the opener having checked an early 1 for 9 setback in a second wicket 69 partnership with the recalled Vishmi Gunaratne who hit a quick fire 29 off 35 in a 5-stroke boundary blaze after top batter the skipper Chamari Athapaththu had been removed by Klaas for 6 edging to wicket keeper Meso.
By and large the 26-year old Samarawickrama and 24-year old Dilhari portrayed the new brigade of Lankan women’s cricket by a remarkably manly display of fronting a touchy situation with a further 146 required for victory off 222 balls against a heady South African attack.
The battle was won by the time Dilhari exited with Sri Lanka on 218 by the second delivery of the 43rd over with 18 more to the victory post and when Samarawickrama was the last flower of that great twosome blossoming to fall with just 4 more needed by the first delivery of the 46th over the game was good as won – a brilliant act with the bat. It was a culmination of a twosome willow works achieved by an effortless composure to taking up the challenge before them.
There was Nilakshi de Silva 12 off 11 and Anushka Sanjeewani on 1 ended it for Sri Lanka on that high champagne note to brushing aside South Africa whose 235 was on the top score hard hitting Annerie Dercksen 51 off 61 down the line following a top order jolt created by Sri Lanka’s 4 wicket pacer Malka Madara.
Chief Scores
South Africa Women 235/9 (50 Overs)
Annerie Dercksen n.o. 51, Sune Lous 31, Tazmin Brits 14, Laura Wolvaardt 10, Malka Madara 4/50, Dewmi Vihanga 3/41, Inoka Ranaweera 1/33, Sugandika Kumari 1/49)
Sri Lanka Women 237/5 (46.3 Overs)
(Harshitha Samarawickrama 77, Kavisha Dilhari 61, Hasini Perera 42, Vishmi Gunaratne 29, Nonkululeko Mlaba 2/44, M. Klaas 1/24, Nadine Klerk 1/32, Sune Luus 1/34)
