SOUND NORTH, Antigua, CMC – Evin Lewis hit his second one-day International hundred in three penalty goals while opening partner Shai Hope had just missed out on a second straight century but West Indies squeezed an impenetrable position, and were forced to scramble before a nervous five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka’s second ODI yesterday.
The home team seemed to be coasting to a comfortable victory when Lewis smashed a typical polished 103 and Hope 84, in a record 192 runs at Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, in pursuit of 274.
However, sailors Thisara Perera (2-45) and Nuwan Pradeep (2-66) took two wickets against and dried the scoring as West Indies lost five wickets for 57 runs to find themselves suddenly require nine runs from the last over.
Nicholas Pooran’s left wing was kept scoreless by Pradeep off the first carry but then clawed two consecutive offside flanks to level the scores and relieve pressure, before jogging single off the fourth inning to see India West to victory with two balls to spare.
“My mind was clear. Jason (Holder) and I were calm. I was set and I knew [I needed] only one ball and once I hit a boundary it was over, ”said Pooran, who finished unbeaten on 35 off 38 deliveries to secure West Indies a 2-0 lead in the three-match series which ends tomorrow.
“Evin and Shai fought really, really well but it just goes to show that no matter where the game arrives … the game is never won until the last ball is bowled.”
Captain Kieron Pollard was quick to move the late innings play to embrace the series victory.
“You can say [it was too close for comfort] but at the end of the day, we will capture the victory. I thought the guys batted well. ”
Sent earlier, Sri Lanka carried 273 for eight off their 50 overs with the opener in the form of Danushka Gunathilaka falling foul of a three-figure short with a run-and-ball 96 and ex-Dinesh Chandimal soldier gets 71 off 98 deliveries.
When the pubs collapsed, Wanindu Hasaranga smashed 47 breeze deliveries down the order, to earn valuable runs for the late visitors.
Part-time spinner Jason Mohammed finished with three for 48 including a Gunathilaka wicket while fast bowler Alzarri Joseph claimed two for 42 in an excellent 10-over spell.
“Our batting failed a couple of wickets early and unfortunately those two batters who had runs today could not get a big one,” lamented Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne.
It was from the first two wickets to fall for Joseph for one, along with Pathum Nissanka (10), as Sri Lanka fell to 50 for three in the ninth, after left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein also had Oshada Fernando caught at slip by Holder for two.
However, Gunathilaka and Chandimal then combined in just 100 for the fourth wicket to stabilize the pubs and put their side back on track for a decent total.
Coming off a half-century in the first ODI on Wednesday, Gunathilaka showed his superb form once again, lashing 10 fours and three sixes meanwhile Chandimal punched three fours and two sixes.
Once Gunathilaka collapsed in the 30th over – bowling trying to force Mohammed through the outside team – Sri Lanka was picked up by two partners to go past 250.
Chandimal put on 36 for the fifth wicket with Ashen Bandara (18) before Hasaranga belted two fours and four sixes in a seventh wicket run with Perera (18). In response, Lewis and Hope staged their second century stand in three days to hold their own record for the Windies’ highest opening stand against Sri Lanka.
The left-hander Lewis hit eight fours and four sixes off 121 deliveries while Hope faced 108 balls and counted half a dozen fours.
Lewis, whose last two ODI innings yielded scores of 65 and 102 – the latter coming against Ireland last year – reached his half-century off 52 balls in the 16th over before picking up his fourth ODI hundred in the 37th over .
Lekshan Sandakan’s left-arm spinner charged in the next game and was stumped and Hope followed nine balls later, scrambling to cover Perera and Darren Bravo moved for 10 in the 42nd over, leaving West Indies stumbling at 212 am three.
Pradeep accounted for Pollard and Fabian Allen, both for 15, but Pooran held his nerve, hitting four fours beating him to make the difference at the time of the death.