West Indies A 509 for 9 dec (Vishaul 161, Hamilton 99, Asalanka 4-104) and 216 for 3 dec (Chandrika 68, Hamilton 56*, Brooks 53*) beat Sri Lanka A 245 (Dickwella 88, Karunaratne 68, Cornwall 6-91) and 147 (Vandersay 47, Johnson 2-13, Roach 2-24) by 333 runs
Scorecard
Vishaul Singh, the left-hand batsman, struck a career-best 161, and Rahkeem Cornwall, the offspinner, took his fourth five-wicket haul in as many matches to lead West Indies A’s 333-run rout of Sri Lanka A in the second four-day game at the Pallekele International Stadium. With the win, West Indies levelled the three-match series.
After West Indies were inserted by Dimuth Karunaratne, the home team captain, discarded Test opener Rajendra Chandrika, who hadn’t gotten into double figures in his last four innings, roared back into form with 84. Chandrika pressed a strong claim by providing solidity at the top in both innings.
Chandrika had to retire hurt on 51, however, with West Indies on 103 for 1, and didn’t come back until the second day. But Vishaul and Jahmar Hamilton, who missed his fourth first-class century when he was run out on 99, powered them to 331 for 5 at the end of the opening day.
Chandrika joined Vishaul, who resumed on 81, on the second morning, and added 54 more for the sixth wicket. Vishaul batted on after the partnership ended, and was the ninth man dismissed, with West Indies having amassed 509, before Shamarh Brooks called for the declaration. Offspinner Charith Asalanka took 4 for 104 for Sri Lanka.
In reply, Sri Lanka were reduced to 37 for 4. Dimuth Karunaratne (68), the captain, led a fightback through a fifth-wicket stand of 97 with Niroshan Dickwella, who top-scored with 88. But Asela Gunaratne (46) was the only other batsman who got into double figures as Sri Lanka folded for 245. Cornwall finished with 6 for 91.
Having taken a 264-run lead, West Indies raced away to 216 for 3 in 41 overs, courtesy half-centuries from Chandrika (68), Brooks (53 not out) and Hamilton (56 not out). Brooks slammed three fours and two sixes, and Hamilton slapped five fours and four sixes in his 30-ball knock as West Indies plundered their last 80 runs off 51 balls.
Sri Lanka lost both their openers with the score on seven, and thereafter slid continuously. Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay’s career-best 47 at No. 9 only delayed the inevitable as Sri Lanka were shot out for 147. West Indies’ bowlers hunted in a pack. Delorn Johnson, Kemar Roach, Gudakesh Motie and Keon Joseph took two wickets each. Cornwall added one more to his first-innings six, and now has 52 wickets in his last 13 innings.
The final game begins on October 18 in Dambulla.
