Series triumph

NORTH SOUND, Antigua – Evin Lewis struck his second One-Day International hundred in three innings while opening partner Shai Hope just missed out on a second straight century but West Indies squandered an impregnable position, and were forced to scramble before securing a nervy five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in today’s second ODI.

The home side appeared to be coasting to a comfortable win when Lewis struck 103 and Hope a typically polished 84, in a venue record 192-run stand at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, in pursuit of 274.

However, seamers Thisara Perera (2-45) and Nuwan Pradeep (2-66) snatched two wickets apiece and dried up the scoring as West Indies lost five wickets for 57 runs to suddenly find themselves requiring nine runs from the last over.

Left-hander Nicholas Pooran was kept scoreless by Pradeep off the first delivery but then clattered two consecutive off-side boundaries to level the scores and ease the pressure, before jogging a single off the fourth delivery to see West Indies to victory with two balls to spare.

“My thinking was clear. Jason (Holder) and I were calm. I was set and I knew [I needed] just one ball and once I hit a boundary it was all over,” said Pooran, who ended unbeaten on 35 off 38 deliveries to secure West Indies a 2-0 lead in the three-match series which ends Sunday.

“Evin and Shai batted really, really good but it goes to show no matter where the game reach … the game is never won until the last ball is bowled.”

Captain Kieron Pollard was quick to shrug off the late innings drama and embrace the series win.

“You can say [it was too close for comfort] but at the end of the day, we’ll take the win. I thought the guys batted well.”

Sent in earlier, Sri Lanka garnered 273 for eight off their 50 overs with in-form opener Danushka Gunathilaka falling agonisingly short of three figures with a run-a-ball 96 and veteran Dinesh Chandimal getting 71 off 98 deliveries.

When the innings slumped, Wanindu Hasaranga smashed a breezy 47 off 31 deliveries down the order, to earn the visitors precious runs late on.

Part-time off-spinner Jason Mohammed finished with three for 48 including the wicket of Gunathilaka while fast bowler Alzarri Joseph claimed two for 42 in an excellent 10-over spell.

“Our batting failed us with a couple of wickets in the early part and unfortunately those two batsmen who got runs today couldn’t get a big one,” lamented Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne.

He was one of the first two wickets to fall to Joseph for one, along with Pathum Nissanka (10), as Sri Lanka slumped 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 exactly 100 for the fourth wicket to stabilise the innings and put their side back on course for a decent total.

Coming off a half-century in the first ODI on Wednesday, Gunathilaka once again put his great form on show, lashing 10 fours and three sixes while Chandimal punched three fours and two sixes.

Once Gunathilaka fell in the 30th over – bowled trying to force Mohammed through the off-side – Sri Lanka were lifted by two partnerships to get past 250.

Chandimal put on 36 for the fifth wicket with Ashen Bandara (18) before Hasaranga belted two fours and four sixes in a 64-run seventh wicket stand with Perera (18).

In reply, Lewis and Hope staged their second century stand in three days to eclipse their own record for the highest Windies opening stand against Sri Lanka.

The left-handed Lewis hit eight fours and four sixes off 121 deliveries while Hope faced 108 balls and counted half-dozen fours.

Lewis, whose last two ODI innings have 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 bringing up his fourth ODI hundred in the 37th over.

He charged left-arm spinner Lakshan Sandakan in the next over and was stumped and Hope followed nine balls later, holing out to cover off Perera who then removed Darren Bravo for 10 in the 42nd over, to leave West Indies stumbling on 212 for three.

Pradeep accounted for Pollard and Fabian Allen, both for 15, but Pooran held his nerve, hitting four fours in his knock to make the difference at the death. (CMC)