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By
M Naushad Amit
West Indies women stood gallant in their fight-back
to restrict Sri Lanka to 157 and level the 5-match one-day
series 2-all by recording a close 13-run victory at
the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday. Despite a heroic
comeback by skipper Shashikala Siriwardene (46) and
Chandi Wickramasinghe (27) who put up a 70-run partnership
for the fifth wicket, Sri Lanka women cricketers fell
13 runs short in chasing a victory target of 171 runs
set by the Caribbean women.
Sri Lanka were cruising at fiveruns per over at one
stage but tight bowling spells by pacies Shanel Daley,
Anisa Mohammed and Stefanie Taylor left the Lankan women
struggling at 55 for 4 halfway through the innings.
Then Siriwardene and Wickramasinghe settled in giving
glimpses of hope for a series win when they took Sri
Lanka from 55-4 to 125-5 in the 40th over.
Siriwardene who was four runs short of recording her
third half-century of her career played a slog shot
and threw her wicket away offering a head high catch
to Merissa Aguilleira off the bowling of Stacy-Ann King.
Her aggressive partner Wickramasinghe soon followed
10 runs later. Suwini de Alwis and Rose Fernando were
brilliantly run out by wicket-keeper Aguilleira, but
Sri Lanka still had hopes of achieving their target
at 151-8. The last two wickets fell for the addition
of only six runs with Kirbyina Alexander and Shanel
Daley taking two wickets apiece.
Earlier West Indies put into bat by Sri Lanka went on
to make 170 runs in 49.2 overs. Opener Deandra Dottin
(34), Stacy-Ann King (39) and wicket-keeper Merissa
Aguilleira (20) chipped in with timely contributions
while the others failed to impress. Left-arm seamer
Chamari Kumarihami grabbed three wickets for 23 while
Sripali Weerakkody and skipper Siriwardena claimed two
wickets each. The deciding fifth and final one-day match
will be played at the same venue today commencing 10.00
am.
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