Sri Lanka A win despite Poynter ton

Saturday, 26 July 2014 06:17 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Ireland v Sri Lanka A, 1st unofficial ODI, Belfast ESPNCricinfo: Stuart Poynter scored a fighting century to rejuvenate a sinking Ireland chase but his innings couldn’t quite take his team over the finish line, as Sri Lanka A wrapped up a 28-run win in the first unofficial ODI in Belfast. Chasing 284, Ireland were 107 for 7 when Eddie Richardson, who had taken a five-wicket haul in the visitors’ innings, retired hurt. Craig Young then added 81 with Poynter before he became medium-pacer Dushmantha Chameera’s fourth victim. Ireland needed

116 at that point, with 69 balls remaining. Poynter and last man Peter Chase brought the equation down to 55 from 24 balls after taking 15 runs off the 46th over, but Ishan Jayaratne and Lahiru Gamage gave away just 11 in the next three overs to leave Ireland needing an improbable 44 from the final over. Poynter reached his century with a six off the first ball and hit fours off the next two legitimate deliveries but was out with two balls remaining, having struck 11 fours and two sixes in his 89-ball 109. Sent in to bat, Sri Lanka A lost Kusal Perera in the first over before Mahela Udawatte and Danushka Gunathilaka scored half-centuries in a 106-run second-wicket partnership. With Ashan Priyanjan and Chathuranga de Silva making useful contributions, Sri Lanka A reached 250 before they lost their last five wickets in a heap, all of them to medium-pacer Richardson, and were bowled out for 283. Udawatte top-scored with 88.