Sri Lanka scrape throurgh last-ball two-wkt win against UAE

Abu Dhabi, Apr 28 (UNI) Sri Lanka 'A' almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against minnows United Arab Emirates (UAE) and barely scraped through a last-ball two-wicket win in the EurAsia Cup tournament here at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Chasing a victory target of 259 runs, Lankan captain Avishka Gunawardene (94) and Jayan Kaushal Silva (79) put on 116 runs for the second wicket to put the islanders in a commanding postion.

The Lankans were all set to romp home easily with the scoreboard reading 228 for two in the 43rd over. However, the fall for Silva triggered a middle-order collapse and the Lankans lost six wickets in a space of 30 runs with the danger of an upset looming large. However, Kulatunga hit the winning runs to save islanders the blushes.

For the hosts, medium pacer Arshad Ali (three for 35) and left-arm spinner Khurram Khan (two for 42) almost pulled off the upset of the tournament.

Earlier, Khurram Khan struck a magnificient 108 not out helping the hosts put on a respectable 258 from a precarious 78 for four.

The southpaw got a partner in Fahad Usman (51) as the duo put on 117 for the fifth wicket.

Scorecard: UAE Amjad Javed c L Silva b Wijekoon 23 Arshad Ali b Wijekoon 8 Abdul Rehman c J Silva b Dilhara 23 Saqib Ali c Gunawardene b Dilhara 2 Khurram Khan not out 107 Fahad Usman b Warnapura 51 Shoaib Sarwar run out 8 Mohammad Tauqir c Dilhara b Warnapura 0 Sameer Zia c Dilhara b Chandana 1 Zahid Shah b Chandana 4 Ali Asad not out 8 Extras (LB 8, W 10, NB 5) 23 Total (for nine wickets in 50 overs) 258 FoW: 1/35, 2/38, 3/45, 4/78, 5/195, 6/215, 7/237, 8/240, 9/248, Bowling: Wijekoon 9-1-48-2, Dilhara 8-1-23-2, Prasad 3-0-34-0, Weerakoon 9-0-40-0, Warnapura 10-1-50-2, Chandana 8-0-43-2, Daniel 3-0-12-0.

Sri Lanka 'A': DA Gunawardene lbw b Arshad Ali 94 GI Daniel c Abdul Rehman b Ali Asad 6 JK Silva c Khurram b Tauqir 79 BSM Warnapura c Arshad b Tauqir 31 LPC Silva lbw b Arshad 7 G Wijekoon lbw b Arshad 7 LHD Dilhara st Abdul Rehman b Khurram 4 HGJM Kulatunga not out 2 UDU Chandana b Khurram 0 S Weerakoon not out 0 Extras (B 1, LB 11, W 13, NB 4) 29 Total (For eight wickets in 49.5 overs)259 FoW: 1/49, 2/165, 3/228, 4/231, 5/240, 6/252, 7/256, 8/258 Bowling: Ali Asad 7-1-32-1, Shoaib Sarwar 2-0-22-0, Zahid Shah 3-0-40-0, Mohammad Tauqir 10-2-32-2, Khurram Khan 9.5-0-42-2, Sameer Zia 10-0-43-0, Arshad Ali 8-0-35-3.

UNI XC DH PDS BST1707