Sri Lanka Women’s tour of New Zealand Vishmi, Manudi, and Nisansala impress in warm-up games

Vishmi Gunaratne scored back-to-back fifties in the two warm-up games

Sachini Nisansala (4/43) bowled Sri Lanka to victory in the second game

17-year-old Manudi Nanayakkara in line for a WODI cap following impressive performances

Twin fifties from Vishmi Gunaratne and Manudi Nanayakkara, and Sachini Nisansala’s four-wicket haul gave Sri Lanka a tense 4-run win against New Zealand XI in their second warm-up game played at Lincoln.

Sri Lanka were led by stand-in skipper Anushka Sanjeewani in the absence of regular Captain Chamari Athapaththu.

Openers Imesha Dulani and Vishmi Gunaratne got their side off to a decent start with a 45-run opening partnership. Sri Lanka lost a couple of wickets in quick succession and found themselves in a tricky situation at 84/3 in the 20th over. But skipper Sanjeewani joined Nanayakkara and stitched a much-needed 66-run partnership for the 4th wicket to take their side to the 150-run mark. Sri Lanka eventually ended up with a total of 201-8 in their quota of 50 overs. Nanayakkara (58 off 59 balls) and Gunaratne (52 off 58 balls) were the top performers with the bat. Watkin (3/26) and Jessica Simmons (3/39) were impressive with the ball for New Zealand XI.

Chasing a target of 202, the home side fell agonisingly short by four runs. The 57-run opening partnership between Emma McLeod (17), and Watkin (36), followed by a 48-run partnership for the 3rd wicket between Kate Anderson (24) and Izzy Sharp (35) was the highest partnership of the innings in the run chase. Left-arm spinner Nisansala (4/43) and seamer Achini Kulasuriya (2/39) along with Kavisha Dilhari (1/35) and Chethana Vimukthi (1/37) were impressive with the ball for the visitors.

In the first warm-up game, New Zealand Women XI powered by fifties from Watkin (63 off 41 balls), Georgia Plimmer (73 off 93 balls) and Brooke Halliday (76 off 92 balls) beat Sri Lanka Women by six wickets.

Sri Lanka totalled 244. Dulani (26) and Gunaratne put on 62 for the first wicket. Kavisha Dilhari joined Gunaratne, and the duo produced another stand of 71 for the 2nd wicket. Gunaratne, the young Sri Lankan opener completed a well-crafted half-century (61 off 81 balls) before getting dismissed.

Another crucial 34-run stand for the third wicket between Under-19 skipper Manudi Nanayakkara (34 off 37 balls) and Kavisha Dilhari (48 off 70 balls) put the visitors in a position of strength. A collapse followed which saw the Sri Lankans get bowled out for 244, with a couple of balls to spare, losing their last seven wickets for 77.

A 93-run partnership for the 2nd wicket between Watkin and Plimmer, followed by another 98-run partnership for the 3rd wicket between Halliday and Plimmer saw New Zealand coast home with six wickets to spare. New Zealand also went on to bat longer and score 284 runs with seven balls to spare, providing the much-needed time in the middle for their batters.

• First warm-up game

New Zealand Women XI won by six wickets.

Scores: Sri Lanka Women 244 (49.4) (Imesha Dulani 26, Vishmi Gunaratne 61, Kavisha Dilhari 48, Manudi Nanayakkara 34, Jesse Watkins 3/31, Ocean Bartlett 2/49)

New Zealand Women XI 284 (48.5) (Jess Watkin 63, Georgia Plimmer 73, Brooke Halliday 76, Manudi Nanayakkara 1/17, Udeshika Prabodhani 1/25)

• Second warm-up game

Sri Lanka Women won by four runs.

Sri Lanka Women 201-8 (50): (Vishmi Gunaratne 52, Manudi Nanayakkara 58, Jess Watkin 3/26, Jessica Simmons 3/39)

New Zealand Women XI 198-8 (50): (Jess Watkin 36, Kate Anderson 24, Izzy Sharp 35, Eve Wolland 26, Flora Devonshire 21, Sachini Nisansala 4/43, Achini Kulasuriya 2/39)