Late-order fight carries Sri Lanka to 240/9 against India in 2nd ODI

Colombo, Aug 4 (PTI) Indian spinners led by Washington Sundar put the batters through a test of skill, but Sri Lanka found just enough fight from their late order to make an acceptable 240 for nine in the second ODI here on Sunday.

Washington (3/30) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/33) were at their smartest on a pitch that offered them plenty of assistance after Lankan captain Charith Asalanka decided to bat first.

It required a 72-run association for the seventh wicket between Dunith Wellalage (39) and Kamindu Mendis (40) for them to wriggle out of a stifling 136 for six.

However, the first blow for India was landed by Mohammed Siraj when he had in-form Pathum Nissanka caught by KL Rahul behind the wicket.

A perfect outswinger pitched just outside the off-stump line led Nissanka to his doom.

But a recovery phase followed as Avishka Fernando (40, 62b, 5×4) and Kusal Mendis (30, 42b, 3×4) used the freshness of the new ball to add 74 for a rather fluent second wicket stand.

But once the spinners began to operate from both ends the scoring rate dwindled, and the Lankans were forced to nudge the ball around for runs.

Fernando leaned forward to turn the ball to onside but Washington just had to hold on to the resultant leading edge.

Mendis went for a sweep against Washington, but missed it altogether and the umpire had the simple job of accepting the shout for leg before.

But no other dismissal displayed the impatience of Lankans than that of Sadeera Samarawickrama.

Tied down for most part by the spinners, Samarawickrama went for a hoick to break the manacles off Axar Patel, but the horribly executed shot ended in the hands of Virat Kohli.

Asalanka showed enough pluck to stand up against the tweakers.

But the left-hander could not keep an intended cut off Washington, who bowled around the wicket to the left-handers, down as Axar took an easy catch inside the circle.

Lanka were 136 for six then, and once again the darning job was left to the young Wellalage, whose composure and approach should work as a pointer to his senior colleagues at the top.

The left-hander took on Axar and Siraj, hammering them for a six each and he had a perfect partner in Kamindu, who was dropped on nine by Shivam Dube off Kuldeep.

The dismissal of Wellalage by Kuldeep did not stop Kamindu from playing a couple of beefy shots of his own as the home side bettered their total in the first ODI that ended in a tie.

The Indian bowlers’ effort in the last five overs were also less than satisfactory, often spraying the ball around as Sri Lanka added 44 precious runs.

Now, Lanka would hope that their bowlers can do an encore of the first match during their turn.