Sri Lanka succumb against Afghans in ‘A’s game
View(s):Despite a brave century by Minod Bhanuka, Sri Lanka ‘A’ suffered a heart-wrenching 11-run defeat at the hands of Afghanistan ‘A’ in their second ACC Men’s Emerging Cup match played at CCC grounds yesterday.
Chasing 253 to win, Sri Lanka were in deep trouble losing seven wickets for 102 runs at the end of the 17th over. However, Dushan Hemantha, who joined Bhanuka, stitched a near-match winning stand of 98-runs for the eighth wicket before Hemantha threw his wicket away with 53 runs still shy of the victory.
When he departed for 31 off 53 balls, it was all left to Bhanuka to take Sri Lanka into an improbable win. But having reached a swashbuckling century and nearly taking Sri Lanka home, Bhanuka departed when the score was on 229–24 runs behind the target. Lahiru Samarakoon, who patiently supported Bhanuka in their 29-run stand for the fifth wicket, tried to finish things off in a flash, hitting two sixes in a row against Zia-ul-Rehman, but the bowler had the last laugh as Samarakoon was caught out at the deep, attempting go over the line much to the jubilation of the Afghan camp.
Sri Lanka ‘A’ got off to a worst possible start when Avishka Fernando–the centurion in the first match– was trapped leg-before off the first delivery off seamer Mohammad Saleem. He then removed Lasith Croospulle, Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Sahan Archchige to leave Sri Lanka ‘A’ tottering at 31 for 4 by the fifth over of the match. Afghanistan inflicted more misery into the Sri Lankan camp by taking three more wickets quickly and were looking to finish things off fast before Bhanuka and Hemantha rescued the innings. Bhanuka hit 17 boundaries and a six in his brilliant 119 off 103 balls but left in disappointment after missing out on a great opportunity to take Sri Lanka over the line.
Earlier Afghanistan ‘A’ scored 252 runs for the loss of nine wickets with Riaz Hassan(82) and Noor Ali Zadran (53) hitting half centuries. Chamika Karunaratne took three wickets while Samarakoon and Hemantha claimed two wickets apiece.
| Chief scores | |
| Afghanistan ‘A’ 252 for 9 (50) (Riaz Hassan 82, Noor Ali Zadran 53, Shahidullah 23, Ikram Alikhil 34n.o.; Chamika Karunaratne 3/56, Lahiru Samarakoon 2/25, Dushan Hemantha 2/54) Sri Lanka ‘A’ 241 all out (38.5) (Minod Bhanuka 119, Dunith Wellalage 21, Dushan Hemantha 31; Mohammed Ibrahim 4/52, Zi-ur-Rehman 2/44, Mohammad Saleem 2/47) |