Sri Lanka owe victory to Prasanna

St. George’s (Grenada), June 24 (IANS/CMC)

FILE PHOTO: Sri Lanka’s cricketer Seekkuge Prasanna

An aggressive half century from Seekkuge Prasanna upstaged Lendl Simmons’ century as West Indies A lost the momentum and stumbled to a four-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka A in their first One-dayer at the National Stadium here Sunday.

Prasanna smashed a busy unbeaten 51 to pep up a run rate that slowed down after they lost quick wickets in the wake of a century opening stand., reports CMC.

Parasanna cracked a boundary to bring up his half century and carried Sri Lanka A to 287 for six after West Indies A had posted a competitive 282 for nine in 50 overs. He faced 17 balls and hit five sixes and three fours.

Openers Dimuth Karunaratne (89) and Niroshan Dickwella (61) gave Sri Lanka A a powerful start by putting on 138 runs before Nikita Miller dismissed both to finish with three for 51.

Earlier, Simmons scored 106 runs to anchor the West Indies A innings after Kirk Edwards won the toss and decided to bat.

Simmons and Edwards shared a second-wicket stand of 116 after the homeside lost opener Nkrumah Bonner for a duck to the fourth ball of the day.

The Trinidadian batsman hit seven fours and five sixes and faced 112 balls. Edwards supported him well with 57, which contained three fours and two sixes.

Simmons also shared a century stand for the third wicket with Narsingh Deonarine (60) who cracked three fours and three sixes.

At one stage, West Indies A lost three wickets off three balls at 266.

Miller was run out for one while Andre Fletcher and Shane Sillingford were trappled lbw by Suranga Lakmal off successive balls.

Lakmal was the top wicket-taker for Sri Lanka A with three for 45 while Lahiru Jayaratne and Dilruwah Perera picked up two wickets each.

The second ODI will also be played here Tuesday at the same venue.

Brief scores:

West Indies 282 for 9 in 50 overs (Lendl Simmons 106, Kirk Edwards 57, Narsing Deinarine 60, Suranga Lakmal 3/45, Lahiru Jayaratne 2 for 54, Dilruwah Perera 2/49) lost to Sri Lanka 287 for 6 in 46.4 ivers, (Niroshan Dickwella Dimuth Karunaratne 89, Sekukuge Prasanna for 51 not out, Nikkita Miller 3/51).

–IANSW/CMC

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