Nuwanidu, Nishan shine as Sri Lanka ‘A’ prevail on DLS

By M. Shamil Amit

Nuwanidu Fernando and Nishan Madushka shone with half-tons as Sri Lanka ‘A’ prevailed with a win by eight runs on the DLS method in the first ODI match of the five-match series played at the Sooriyawewa Stadium yesterday to take a one-nil lead.
The high-scoring game saw Sri Lanka ‘A’, after being invited to take first lease of the wicket, make a formidable score of 304 for 8, and Afghanistan ‘A’ in their run chase was on 277 for 8 when bad light stopped play.
Opener Nishan, who made 72 in 82 balls that included seven boundaries, associated in two fruitful partnerships, first giving the Sri Lanka ‘A’ side a sedate start of 43 runs with Lahiru Udara and then following it up with a valuable 99-run stand for the second wicket with Kamil Mishara, who chipped in 
with 48.
The separation of the pair with Sri Lanka ‘A’ on 142 for 2 in the 27th over saw Nuwanidu, who made a quick fire 68 ball knock of 83 which had eight boundaries and two sixes, taking it over and sharing a brief partnership of 39 runs for the fifth wicket with skipper Sahan Arachchige, followed by a 51-run stand for the sixth wicket with Dushan Hemantha, who helped the host side to end their innings with a formidable score of 304.
Afghanistan ‘A’ in their run chase lost an early wicket with the score on 16, but opener Riaz Hassan, joined by Darwich Rasooli, began a recovery act with the pair accumulating runs with ease and looking threatening before pacie Chamika Karunaratne made the breakthrough with the wicket of Darwich, who made a 70-ball knock of 75, which had seven boundaries and a six, and shared a massive 163-run stand for the second wicket with Riaz.
Riaz did not last long, as he was the next to go, but not after making a valuable ton in 115 balls that comprised ten boundaries and a six. From there on, the visitors lost wickets at regular intervals before bad light put a stoppage to proceedings that ended with the host side prevailing with an eight-run DLS win.
The two sides will play their second match tomorrow (30) at the same venue.

Chief scores
At Sooriyawewa - Sri Lanka ‘A’ won by eight runs on DLS
Sri Lanka ‘A’ 304 for 8 in 50 overs (Nuwanidu Fernando 83, Nishan Madushka 72, Kamil Mishara 48, Dushan Hemantha 20, Sahan Arachchige 18, Lahiru Udara 17; Bilal Sami 4/51, Mohammad Saleem 3/63)
Afghanistan ‘A’ 277 for 8 in 48 (Riaz Hassan 109, Darwich Rasooli 75, Zia ur Rehman 28, Shahidullah Kamal 20, Farmanullah Safi 20 n.o.; Sahan Arachchige 3/40)