SOURCE NORTH, Antigua, CMC – Elegant stroke maker Shai Hope became only the eighth West Indies batsman to score 10 One-Day Internationals when he carved a high-quality century in his first ODI in 12 months, to power the Caribbean side to eight comfortable wins over Sri Lanka here yesterday.
The right-handed polished man, who was also part of the West Indies for the first time in eight months, hit 110 off 133 deliveries as West Indies easily reeled in a depressing target of 233 with three overs to Spent at Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Evin Lewis, left, pressed with 65 deliveries off 90, combining with Hope in a 143 run stand – a record for the first wicket against Sri Lanka – while Darren Bravo, the left-hander, saw the home team over the line with unbeaten beat 37 off 47 balls.
Earlier, West Indies bowlers grabbed the last nine Sri Lankan wickets for 127 runs as the visitors fell to 232 in all out of 49 overs, following a strong start.
Openers Danushka Gunathilaka (55) and Dimuth Karunaratne (52) hit half centuries in a stroke-filled opening stand while first-rounder Ashen Bandara struck exactly 50 at number six but Sri Lanka lost a cluster of wickets in the middle to fall off badly.
“The way we went about our cricket [pleased me most]. The way we batted from the second inning, the way Shai was batting and just the partnerships. I thought we were in complete control, ”said captain Kieron Pollard afterwards.
“It showed that we planned and we came out and tried to take action.”
The fight was not without controversy, however, as Gunathilaka’s bizarre dismissal, for the left, for blocking the field, devastated the pubs.
In the 22nd over, Gunathilaka defended a delivery from midfield controlman Pollard with the ball dropping just beyond the batting crease.
Non-striker Pathum Nissanka (8) picked up halfway down the field in search of a quick single but was sent back by Gunathilaka.
In an effort to regain his ground, Gunathilaka’s feet became addicted to the ball as Pollard tried to retrieve it, to create a run out at the end of the non-striker.
A clearly upset Pollard then appealed, referee Joel Wilson gave a ‘soft signal’ before TV referee Nigel Duguid confirmed the review decision, to the batsman’s surprise. Gunathilaka struck seven fours off 61 balls in an opening 105 runs stand with his captain Karunaratne who also faced 61 deliveries and counted four fours.
Left tackle Karunaratne, dropped on 26 in the 12th over by fast bowler Romario Shepherd, was the first to fall when he was caught brilliantly on Pollard’s second attempt, jumping high to his right on followed through in the 20th over.
And when Gunathilaka, who was also lost by Shepherd in the same over 35, followed 12 balls later, Sri Lanka lost four wickets for 21 runs and Bandara needed a sensational beating in the back to see them past 200.
Bandara faced 60 balls and belted four fours, adding 25 for the fifth wicket with Dinesh Chandimal (12) and 32 for the sixth wicket with Kamindu Mendis (9), before being ninth out of 48th over. hold it mid wicket off the controller. Jason’s Holder (2-39).
Faced with a relentless hunt, Hope and Lewis handed the sword to Sri Lanka in a partnership that allowed the West Indies to ganter.
The right-hander Hope, who contracted COVID-19 last January and missed most of the recent Regional Super50, looked fluent from the start as he punched a dozen four-and-six.
He reached his half-century off 47 balls in the 19th over by driving left-arm spinner Lakshan Sandakan through the middle of the game for four, and grabbing three figures off 125 balls in the 41st over. He deposited a free hit from the same bowler over the ropes long to move to 99 before distancing single to long forward off the next delivery.
Meanwhile, Lewis tied four fours and two sixes six before being replaced by new ball controller Dushmantha Chameera (2-59) in the 29th over and Hope added another 72 for second with Bravo before finally leaving in the 43rd over, bowled away -stump also by Chameera at 215 for two.
Bravo and Jason Mohammed (13 not out) had little fanfare as West Indies walked the rest of the hunt.