Sri Lanka crush WI to clinch ODI series

Two magnificent hundreds from Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis helped Sri Lanka beat the West Indies by 161 runs in the second One Day International (ODI) worked off at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota today (26).

Sri Lanka also took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with the third and final match scheduled for Sunday at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy.

Fernando, who blasted 127, and Mendis, who made 119, put on 239 runs in Sri Lanka's highest third-wicket stand after the West Indies had won the toss and elected to bowl.

Sri Lanka amassed a formidable 345 for eight and the West Indies in reply folded up for 184 runs in the 40th over with wrist spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Lakshan Sandakan taking three wickets each.

Earlier, paceman Sheldon Cottrell struck twice with successive balls in the fourth over to put the West Indies in command.

Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne went for one and Kusal Perera fell for nought in his 100th ODI before Mendis denied Cottrell a hat-trick and combined with Fernando to thwart the opposition bowling.

Mendis got one reprieve on two when the West Indies Skipper Kieron Pollard dropped a simple chance at first slip off Jason Holder. He went on to score his second one-day hundred.

Mendis and Fernando, who hit his career-best ODI score in 123 balls, smashed 22 fours between them.

Fast bowler Alzarri Jospeh finally claimed the centurions in the space of 14 deliveries, and then bowled former Captain Angelo Mathews for one.

Cottrell hurt Sri Lanka's middle-order with the wickets of Thisara Perera, for 36, and Dhananjaya de Silva, for 12, to end with figures of four for 67. (Agencies)

Sri Lanka

A. Fernando c Paul b Joseph 127

D. Karunaratne c Allen b Cottrell 01

K. Perera c Hope b Cottrell 00

K. Mendis c Hope b Joseph 119

T. Perera b Cottrell 36

A. Mathews b Joseph 01

D. de Silva b Cottrell 12

W. Hasaranga run out 17

I. Udana not out 17

Extras: (lb3, w10, nb2) 15

Total: (8 wickets, 50 overs) 345

Fall: 1-9, 2-9, 3-248, 4-271, 5-274, 6-303, 7-316, 8-345

Bowling: Cottrell 10-0-67-4, Holder 8-0-59-0, Jospeh 10-0-57-3, Allen 6-0-37-0, Paul 7-0-62-0, Chase 6-0-31-0, Pollard 3-0-29-0

West Indies

S. Hope c Karunaratne b Mathews 51

S. Ambris run out 17

D. Bravo c de Silva b Hasaranga 16

R. Chase b Sandakan 20

N. Pooran c Mathews b Sandakan 31

K. Pollard b Hasaranga 00

J. Holder b Hasaranga 03

K. Paul b Pradeep 21

F. Allen c T. Perera b Sandakan 17

A. Joseph b Pradeep 00

S. Cottrell not out 00

Extras: (lb1, nb1, w6) 08

TOTAL: (all out in 39.1 overs) 184

Fall: 1-64, 2-83, 3-93, 4-130, 5-131, 6-137, 7-158, 8-184, 9-184

Bowling: Pradeep 6-0-37-2, T. Perera 5-0-18-0, Udana 4-0-21-0, Mathews 5-0-20-1, Hasaranga 10-0-30-3, Sandakan 9.1-0-57-3