The Sri Lanka ‘A’ team put up an impressive performance on day two of their four-day game against Afghanistan ‘A’ at P.Sara Oval Stadium yesterday.
They scored a total of 435 runs in their first innings, with Sonal Dinusha (145) and Wanuja Sahan (75) hitting career-best innings. Afghanistan ‘A’ had lost one wicket and were at 18 runs by the close of play.
The pair dominated the day, adding 119 runs for the eighth wicket. Dinusha played a superb innings, continuing from 126, while Sahan, the former St Peter’s Skipper and former National under 19 leggie, provided good support to complete his half-century, challenging the Afghanistan bowlers.
However, rain interrupted the game before the lunch session, and the umpires decided to take an early lunch. After lunch, the former Mahanama and present CCC all-rounder, Dinusha was just five runs away from his 150 when he was stumped by wicket-keeper Abdul Hadi off the bowling of Zia-ur-Rehman.
Dinusha hit 145 in 193 balls with 16 fours, while Sahan hit 75 in 118 balls with 9 fours and a six, with Zia-ur-Rehman accounting for his wicket once again.
Zia-ur-Rehman was the most successful bowler for Afghanistan ‘A’, taking his career-best (List A) bowling figures of 6 for 127 in his 31.3 overs spell, while paceman Naveed Zadran took 2 for 94 in his 22-over spell.
Afghanistan lost their opener and skipper Ihsanullah for a duck in the second over of the innings, bowled by paceman Milan Ratnayake. Imran, the co-opener, hit 11 in 24 balls with 2 fours, and Bahir Shah remained 7 in 12 balls at the wicket when rain stopped the game. The two umpires, Chamara de Zoysa and Ravindra Kottahachchi, called off the day, and the match referee Manoj Mendis decided to start the third day today (13) at an early 9.45 a.m.
Chief scores:
Sri Lanka ‘ A’ 435 all out Oshada Fernando 32,Lahiru Udara 65,Ahan Wickrmasinghe 27,Sonal Dinusha 145,Vishad Randika 63,Wanuja Sahan 75,Naveed Zadran 2/94,Zia -ur- Rehman 6/ 127,Khalil Gurbaz 1/59
Afghanistan ‘ A ‘ 18 for 1 wicket at close Imran 11*,Milan Ratnayake 1/12
