Sri Lanka 263 for five (Samarawickrama 91, Nissanka 54, Dutt 3-44) beat Netherlands 262 (Engelbrecht 70, van Beek 59, Madushanka 4-49, Rajitha 4-50) by 5 wickets
Set a goal of 263, the chase was constructed round key partnerships – the primary a counter-attacking 30-ball 34 between Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, to get better from the early lack of Kusal Perera, adopted by extra substantial stands of 52, 77 and 76 – with Samarawickrama a key cog all through.
Indeed, for the second sport working Netherlands decrease order have been referred to as in for a rescue job and for the second sport working they delivered. And this time it was arguably extra spectacular than the one towards South Africa, as they managed it with none important enter from talismanic captain Scott Edwards, who had dragged one on from Maheesh Theekshana early in his innings.
At that time Sri Lanka might need felt the hazard man was again within the pavilion, however Engelbrecht and van Beek took centre stage as they took their aspect from 91 for six to 221 for 7.
Engelbrecht finally fell seeking to play a premeditated shot, although most likely ill-advised paddle towards a Dilshan Madushanka yorker that homed in on the bottom of center stump, however van Beek hung round for some time longer to take the whole to a aggressive if not matchwinning 262.
But in between the wickets of Edwards and Engelbrecht was the place Netherlands showcased a masterclass in rebuilding and consolidation.
Even once they sought to up the scoring it was incremental relatively than explosive, with boundaries by no means paired in a single over, as a substitute unfold out between overs that have been largely suffering from ones and twos.
Indeed following the size of the highest order collapse, for the Dutch batting out the total 50 overs was the first aim, with the tip complete a byproduct of that singular focus. Even so, attending to as aggressive a complete as they did was no imply feat contemplating the malaise they’d discovered themselves in with lower than half the innings performed.
The bother started within the fourth over, when Rajitha trapped Vikramjit Singh leg earlier than with one which pitched on center and tailed in. It was the primary ball Rajitha had bowled to the left-hander, however the wicket itself was a simply reward for the nagging strains and lengths each he and Madushanka had exploited within the early overs.
Despite this early loss although, the pair of Max O’Dowd and Colin Ackermann appeared to be working their approach into the sport with a stand of 41 earlier than Rajitha struck for a second time, as O’Dowd dragged a full and vast outswinger onto his stumps. Two overs later Rajitha would have his third, with Ackermann nicking by way of a free minimize.
Suddenly the Dutch have been on the ropes, because the scoring slowed all the way down to a crawl. Kusal Mendis determined to press dwelling the benefit at this level conserving Rajitha for an prolonged seven-over opening spell and delaying the introduction of Theekshana till the sixteenth over.
After a few Chamika Karunaratne overs had afforded Madushanka a relaxation, the left-arm seamer was introduced again within the seventeenth and would strike nearly instantly, as de Leede would ramp a brief one to Kusal Perera at third man. Then in his subsequent over he would have half the Netherlands again within the pavilion, trapping Teja Nidamanuru leg earlier than on referral.
Edwards in his temporary keep was his industrious self selecting up 5 twos in a run-a-ball 16 however Theekshana despatched him packing. But Sri Lanka would don’t have any extra pleasure after that till demise, however by then Netherlands had completed sufficient to make a sport of it.
Samarawickrama performed the essential hand and ensured Sri Lanka didn’t disintegrate as they’d so devastatingly completed towards Australia. Entering on the fall of Mendis’s wicket – the Sri Lankan captain falling foul of Dutt as he may solely high edge a slog sweep – Sadeera and Nissanka set about in a managed pursuit.
Nissanka fell after selecting up his third successive fifty, however Sadeera continued in the identical vein with Charith Asalanka. And when Asalanka fell, going for an pointless slog sweep in Dutt’s remaining over, Sadeera repeated the feat with one other strong stand alongside Dhananjaya de Silva.
Dhananjaya fell with single digits required, however by then the sport was completed. Dushan Hemantha heaved a 4 over long-on to register the profitable runs and kickstart Sri Lanka’s marketing campaign.
*The report was up to date after the results of Eng vs SA was confirmed.
Source web site: www.espncricinfo.com
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