SL A beats West Indies A by 7 wickets

Saturday, 8 October 2016 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dimuth Karunaratne top-scored in the second innings with an unbeaten 39 to see Sri Lanka A through -Getty Image

ESPNCricinfo: First-innings centurion Dimuth Karunaratne scored an unbeaten 39 to guide Sri Lanka A to a seven-wicket win over West Indies A in the first match of West Indies A’s tour of Sri Lanka. After taking the last wicket to bowl out West Indies A for 175, Sri Lanka A knocked off the 66-run target in 20.3 overs.

The day began with West Indies A on an overnight score of 165-9 and a lead of 55. They added only ten more runs before Lakshan Sandakan picked up his fourth wicket, getting No. 11 Reynard Leveridge stumped. Keon Joseph, who had resisted with Gudakesh Moti-Kanhai in a ninth-wicket stand the previous evening, remained unbeaten on 12 off 73 balls.

Lahiru Thirimanne, who had played his last Test in June, was promoted to open with Karunaratne. He scored 21 in a 43-run opening stand, before Rahkeem Cornwall trapped in him in front.

Fast-bowler Joseph removed Roshen Silva in the following over and Charith Asalanka shortly after. But Sri Lanka A were never in any danger as Niroshan Dickwella joined Karunaratne to see them through.

Chief Scores: Sri Lanka A 386 (Karunaratne 131, Perera 87, Cornwall 8-108) and 67 for 3 (Karunaratne 39*, Joseph 2-17) beat West Indies A 276 (Singh 96, Gunaratne 3-27) and 175 (Sandakan 4-51) by 7 wickets