Sri Lanka ‘A’ clinch unofficial Test series 1-0

The winning Sri Lanka ‘A’ team with the trophy after beating South Africa ‘A’ 1-0 in the unofficial test series

Senuran Muthusamy – Player of the Match (1st unofficial test)

 Pasindu Sooriyabandara – Player of the Match (2nd unofficial test)

• South Africa ‘A’ settle for a draw in second ‘test’

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka ‘A’ won the two-match 4-day unofficial test series against South Africa ‘A’ when the touring side settled for a draw in the second unofficial test played at the P Sara Oval yesterday.

Set a target of 324 to chase and win off 75 overs to level the series one-all, South Africa struggled against the spin of Praveen Jayawickrama and Ramesh Mendis to close on 156-4 off 60 overs when the two sides decided to end the match. The result gave Sri Lanka ‘A’ the series 1-0 having won the first unofficial test at Pallekele by 160 runs.

Overnight pair Minod Bhanuka and Pasindu Sooriyabandara carried their third wicket partnership to worth 254 runs before Sri Lanka ‘A’ declared their second innings closed at 327-3 at the fall of Bhanuka’s wicket. Bhanuka, who had batted uncharacteristically on the third day, showed some flamboyance adding a further 51 off 72 balls to his overnight total of 79 to complete his 15th first class hundred. He was dismissed for 130 scored off 207 balls (10 fours, 5 sixes), leaving Sooriyabandara unbeaten on a well-constructed innings of 113 off 147 balls (12 fours, 2 sixes) – his fifth century in 19 first-class matches.

South Africa ‘A’ were given a decent start by skipper Toni de Zorzi (35) and Matthew Breetzke (38) who put on 56, but the dismissals of Tristan Stubbs the first innings centurion for 12 and Test cricketer Keegan Petersen for 29, saw them put up the shutters and settle for a draw.

Sooriyabandara was named Player of the Match and South Africa ‘A’ spinner Senuran Muthusamy was awarded the Player of the Match in the first unofficial test. The awards at the end of the match was presented by Match Referee Pradeep Jeyapragash.

South Africa ‘A’ ended their tour of Sri Lanka winning the unofficial ODI series 2-1 and losing the unofficial test series 1-0.

Scores: Sri Lanka ‘A’ 290 and 327-3 decl. (o/n 230-2) (Nishan Madushka 40, Lasith Croospulle 30, Minod Bhanuka 130, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 113*)

South Africa ‘A’ 294 and 156-4 (Toni de Zorzi 35, Matthew Breetzke 38, Keegan Petersen 29, Zubayr Hamza 24*, Praveen Jayawickrama 2/43)