      |
||
|
||
Sri Lanka beat Worcestershire by 7 wkts. WORCESTER, JULY - 29 Out of form Sanath Jayasuriya savaged his way back to form with a 48-ball 60-run knock before Vice Captain Aravinda de Silva launched the final assault with an unbeaten 73 in taking Sri Lanka to a 7-wicket victory over Worcestershire in a lately scheduled 50 over cricket match played here on Wednesday. It was a pulsating contest all the way with Worcestershire's Graeme Hick having set the stage with a blistering century (III) off 109 balls as the English county posted an imposing 279 for 6 wickets in their allotted 50 overs. He struck eight fours and four sixes, the seventh this season. Hick put the off colour Sri Lankan bowling attack to the sword as he shared in a 104-run alliance for the second wicket with Elliot Wilson playing in his first major match for the county. But the world champions lived upto their tag as Jayasuriya, in a perfect comeback to top fettle smashed about the Worcestershire bowling attack. Marvan Atapattu was not to be outdone as he produced a copybook 68 with de Silva joining in the final assault as Sri Lanka romped home with 2.4 overs to spare. SCOREBOARD Worcestershire P. WESTON c Ranatunga b Pushpakumara 15 Extras: (lb-15 w-23 nb-4) 42 Did not bat: R. Illingworth, P. Newport, R. Chapman. Bowling: Pushpakumara 7-0-40-1, Perera 7-0-28-0, Sri Lanka S. JAYASURIYA c Wilson b Leatherdale 60 Extras: (1b-16 w-12 nb-8) 36 Did not bat : M. Jayawardene, C. Hathurusinghe, K. Dharmasena, U. Chandana, S. Perera, R. Pushpakumara Bowling: Newport 10-1-33-2, Chapman
9.2-0-61-0, Result: Sri Lanka won by seven wickets. Hettiarachchi a five-wicket haul A scintillating knock of 92 runs thumped by South Africa 'A' team all rounder Derek Crookes, and equally stroke-filled innings of 68 scored by opening bat Mark Bruyns steered the tourists to a massive first innings score of 327 for the loss of 7 wickets at the end of the second day's play in their three-day match against Sri Lanka Board President's XI at the De Soyza Stadium, Moratuwa yesterday. Crookes who came to the wicket with the visitors somewhat shakily placed at 144/4, associated himself in a rollicking partnership of 109 runs for the fifth wicket with No. 4 bat Hershelle Gibbs who struck 52. This stand ultimately enabled the South African's to exceed the 300-run mark by stumps on day two, with the two tailend batsmen Pothas and Juarsveld being involved in an unbroken 24-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Crookes innings was a gem as he simply took the Board President's XI bowlers by the scruff of its neck, and sprayed it to almost all parts of the ground, with his runs coming of and equal number of balls as well as six fours and six towering sixes. He was particularly severe on off spinner Thilan Samaraweera clouting him for three successive sixes in one over that cost the bowler 20 runs. But the bowler had the last laugh when Crookes in trying to lift him out of the grounds once too often held out to the deep mid wicket fielder Hemantha Boteju for 92. Gibbs too enjoyed himself with a compact knock of 52 runs before he was stumped by Lanka de Silva off the bowling of left arm leg spinner Dinuk Hettiarachchi who went on to have superb figures of 5 wickets for 78 runs in 32 very economical overs. Gibbs innings which came off 91 balls was studded with 8 crisply struck fours. Earlier in the prelunch session South Africa 'A' who won the toss and elected to bat first on a rather docile looking pitch were much indebted to the batting skills of opener Mark Bruyns for holding their innings together with a gutsy 68 before he was undone by a sharply turning leg-break from Hettiarachchi which the batsman could only scoop to short leg fielder Tilan Samaraweera who grabbed the sitter. Bruyns 68 which came off 133 balls, was spiced with 11 sparkling boundaries with his off side driving being the main feature during the morning sessions play. One drop bat H. D. Ackerman also chipped in with a useful contribution of 38 with six fours before he was bowled nek and crop by the well disguised armer from Hettiarachchi. Among the local bowlers besides young leggie Hettiarachchi who made the biggest impact with the red-cherry by capturing 5 good South African wickets, on a wicket tailor-made for batting none of the other impressed with Eric Upashantha scalping Ashwell Prince. Today the third day's play will resume at 10.30 a.m. after the first day on Tuesday was totally washed out as a result of the monsoon rains. SCOREBOARD SOUTH AFRICA 'A' First Innings MARK BRUYNS ct
Samaraweera b Hettiarachchi 68 EXTRAS (byes 5,
l-byes 7, no balls 5) 11 BOWLING: Upashantha 10-7-40-1,
Rushdy 9-2-35-0, A sparkling century from A. M. Shiyan helped Moors Sports Club to a formidable 243 runs against Bloomfield in the quarterfinals of the division II cricket encounter recently. Bloomfield scored only 44 for 3 before the early stoppage due to rain. They were declared winners on bonus points. Shiyam played brilliant strokes all round the wicket . His (111) comprised five towering sixes and nine boundaries. He was associated in a 150-run alliance for the first wicket with Janaka Nishantha (48). MOORS 243 (A. M. Shiyam 111, J. Nishantha 48, P. K. Abeygunasekera 29, S. Silva 6/78, M. Abeywickrema 2/57). BLOOMFIELD 44 FOR 3 at close (S. Abeynayake 25, C. Haturusinghe 2/24). (AN) Sri Lanka strike bowler Chaminda Vaas, who had been sidelined for sometime from playing at top level due to a leg injury has been named to play for Sri Lanka 'A' in the second unofficial cricket test match against South Africa 'A' starting on Saturday at Welagedera Stadium, Kurunegala. The squad: Sajith Fernando (Captain), Avishka Gunawardena, Upeka Fernando, Sanjeewa Ranatunga, Manoj Mendis, Malintha Warnapura, T. M. Dilshan, Tilan Samaraweera, Indika Gallage, Malinga Bandara, Chaminda Vaas. Reserves: Indika de Seram, Erick Upa-shantha, Ruchira Perera. Weerappuli
a rare feat Ajantha Weerappuli (NCC) scored three consecutive centuries in the division II cricket tournament conducted by Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka. Weerappuli the right hander scored 142 against Old Servatious SC with the help of 16 fours against Sebastianites (21 fours) and 100 against Antonians SC (12 fours). Weerappuli's achievement is a rare one for this tournament. Weerappuli an old Benedictine who scored a century in their big match against D. S. Senanayake College in 1996 established a new record for the first wicket with Chandric Ajereen. Weerappuli a useful spinner claimed 4 for 35 against Anthonians SC. The young cricketer was coached by Hemal Mendis and M. Wanaguru. |
||
 |