Windies do enough to trump Sri Lanka

News

Cricket365
June 4, 2013

The West Indies capped their preparation for the Champions Trophy with a testing 17-run triumph over Sri Lanka in Tuesday's warmup fixture at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Both sides spent useful time in the middle, with the Windies posting 297 for six before Sri Lanka were dismissed for 280.

Dwayne Bravo (71), Johnson Charles (58) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (55) led the scoring for the victors, while Kumar Sangakkara (56) top-scored for Sri Lanka.

With three overs left when the final wicket fell all three results looked possible heading into the closing stages but West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo grabbed two late wickets to seal victory.

Sri Lanka opted to bowl first and the rare sight of Chris Gayle being outscored began to unfold as Charles took the initiative.

When Gayle was first man out, caught and bowled by Thisara Perera, he had just 22 from a total of 87.

Charles followed without adding to the score, his 58 coming from 50 balls.
Tillakaratne Dilshan removed the dangerous Marlon Samuels before a stand of 126 between Bravo and Sarwan.

Both men retired to give team-mates a chance to bat, with Kieron Pollard benefiting most with two fours and two sixes in his 29 not out.

Perera and Shaminda Eranga both finished with two wickets, but Lasith Malinga was unusually expensive as his eight overs cost 68.

Kusal Perera and Dilshan put on a brisk 39 in response before being dismissed within moments of each other, leaving veteran campaigners Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara at the crease.

Jayawardene managed 29 and Sangakkara reached his half-century before becoming Bravo's first victim.

After that the Windies took control, Sunil Narine seeing off Lahiru Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews for single-figure contributions.

In the end it needed late hitting from tail-end duo Nuwan Kulasekara (40) and Dilhara Lokuhettige (42) to make it close, but Bravo took two late wickets as the Windies claimed the win.