Sri Lanka beats NSW by 23 runs in T20

Thursday, 28 October 2010 05:48 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka overcame delays before and during their Twenty20 cricket game with NSW to score a 23-run win over the Blues at Blacktown Olympic Park on Wednesday night.

The start of the first senior cricket match at the Western Sydney venue was put back 15 minutes after Sri Lanka experienced traffic problems travelling from their city hotel.

Playing their third and final warmup match before the T20 international against Australia in Perth on Sunday, Sri Lanka made 4-167.

Veteran NSW paceman Brett Lee (0-44 off 4 overs) was unable to impress after missing out on a place in the Australian team for the T20 and three one-day matches against Sri Lanka, conceding sixes off consecutive balls to Chamara Kapugedera (26 off 18).

NSW made a promising start in front of a crowd of around 2500, reaching 0-32 off 3.3 overs before a 45-minute rain delay.

A revised target off 123 off 14 overs left the Blues needing 91 off 63 balls.

The depleted Blues lineup, missing 13 internationals, struggled to score quickly against some tidy spin bowling on a slow pitch.

Veteran tweaker Muttiah Muralidaran (0-16 off 3) and fellow spinner Suraj Randiv (2-13 off 3) were especially effective.

Phil Hughes (30 off 26) and Usman Khawaja (32 not out off 37) tried hard, but NSW managed just two fours and one six after the rain delay and finished well short on 2-99.

Earlier, acting Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene (59 off 35 balls), who was leading the team with regular skipper Kumar Sangakarra having the night off, quickly made up for lost time after the late start.

He struck nine fours and put on 57 with fellow opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (21 off 19), who was set to play for NSW in this season’s domestic T20 competition before the Sri Lankan authorities ruled he had to stay at home in the leadup to next year’s World Cup.