Sri Lanka ‘A’ make head start in UAE ‘A’ team Tri-series

Sadeera Samarawickrama guided Sri Lanka ‘A’ to victory against Afghanistan ‘A’ with century

Dilshan Madushanka ripped through Afghanistan ‘A’ batting with four wickets  

• Defeat Ireland Wolves, Afghanistan ‘A’

Sri Lanka ‘A’ has made a head start in the ongoing UAE ‘A’ team Tri-series winning both their opening two matches of the competition decisively at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

In their opening game against Ireland Wolves, Sri Lanka ‘A’ strode to a 45-run win thanks largely to Player of the Match Sahan Arachchige’s knock of 78 off 96 balls (5 fours) that enabled them to total 264.

Then spinners Tharindu Rathnayake (4/24) and Dushan Hemantha (4/51) ran through the Irish batting to have them all out for 219 after they had made a good start scoring 84-1 after 17 overs.

In the second match against Afghanistan ‘A’ skipper Sadeera Samarawickrama led the way with a match-winning century (129* off 110 balls, 16 fours, 2 sixes) as Sri Lanka ‘A’ chased down a target of 249 to win by 6 wickets with 51 balls to spare.

Sri Lanka ‘A’ began their run chase badly losing Kamil Mishara and Nuwanidu Fernando for ducks to be 2-2, but Lahiru Udara joined Player of the Match Samarawickrama to add 163 for the third wicket off 138 balls to put Sri Lanka ‘A’ back on track. Udara scored a delightful 81 off 83 balls punctuated with 12 fours.

Sahan Arachchige (23) helped Samarawickrama in a further stand of 72 off 79 balls to seal the match in Sri Lanka ‘A’s favour.

Earlier, Afghanistan ‘A’ winning the toss and batting first were rocked by the left-arm pace of Dilshan Madushanka and Mohamed Shiraz, losing their first three wickets for four runs. But Darwish Rasooli played a captain’s knock of 155 off 147 balls (8 fours, 8 sixes) to give Afghanistan ‘A’ a respectable total of 248-8. Madushanka was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/37 off his quota of 10 overs.

Today Afghanistan ‘A’ play Ireland Wolves.

Results

• Sri Lanka ‘A’ beat Ireland Wolves by 45 runs.

Sri Lanka ‘A’ 264 (49.3) (Lahiru Udara 32, Sahan Arachchige 78, Tharindu Rathnayake 35, Thomas Mayes 3/40, Jordan Neill 2/70, Liam McCarthy 3/57, Scott MacBeth 2/38)

Ireland Wolves 219 (44.5) (Sam Topping 39, Cade Carmichael 37, Benjamin Calitz 25, Ross Adair 32, Jordan Neill 38*, Thomas Mayes 25, Tharindu Rathnayake 4/24, Dushan Hemantha 4/51)

• Sri Lanka ‘A’ beat Afghanistan ‘A’ by 6 wickets

Afghanistan ‘A’ 248-8 (50) (Darwish Rasooli 155, Ikram Alikhil 32, Ijaz Ahmad 35, Dilshan Madushanka 4/37, Mohamed Shiraz 2/43)

Sri Lanka ‘A’ 249-4 (41.3) (Lahiru Udara 81, Sadeera Samarawickrama 129*, Sahan Arachchige 23, Khalil Ahmed 2/51)