Rovman Powell is sure to feel that things are definitely not going his way this season when the Northern Warriors lost by 10 wickets to Chennai Braves on Monday in the Abu Dhabi T10 league.
On a personal level, Powell is having a great season. His 294 runs lead the league and his 26 sixes are second only to Liam Livingstone’s 28, but for all his success, Northern Warriors seem incapable of capitalizing.
The Jamaican all-rounder scored 31 runs on Monday from just 13 balls from which he smashed four sixes in his side’s 108 all out in 9.5 overs. He got support from Upul Tharanga, who scored 32 from 14 and Moeen Ali, who got 25 from 15 but Warriors were never able to get on top of Chennai’s bowling led by Ravi Bopara who took 2-6.
Curtis Campher (2-16) and Dasun Shanaka (2-25) did their part to contain Warriors' batsmen.
Chennai’s batsmen took full advantage of the opportunity racing to 114-0 in just 8.3 overs to record their first win of the season.
Mohammad Shahzad raced to 54 from just 29 balls smashing nine fours and two sixes along the way. His opening partner Bhanuka Rajapaksa needed six fewer balls to score 55 that included six fours and four sixes.
Oshane Thomas’ two overs went for 27 while Rayad Emrit’s nine balls cost the Warriors 20 runs as their team lost their seventh match of the season.
Brian Lara scored a relatively patient 53 and Dwayne Smith, a quick-fire 47 as the West Indies posted 157 for 4 from their 20 overs. The pair put on a 66-run third-wicket stand after William Perkins (19) and Narsingh Deonarine (2) were both run out within the first six overs to leave the West Indies on 38 for 2.
Lara’s half-century came off 49 balls and included eight fours but it was Smith who dominated the partnership scoring his 47 runs from just 27 balls from which he smashed four fours and three sixes before departing with the West Indies 104 for 3 in the 14th over.
Lara remained unbeaten at the end but with the help of Mahendra Nagamootoo (9) and Tino Best, who was unbeaten on 18, took the score to 157.
Chinthanka Jayasinghe, who got Smith’s wicket returned figures of 1-8 from his only over while Tillakaratne Dilshan had figures of 1-28 from his four.
Needing 158 for victory, Sri Lanka benefitted from an opening stand of 45 between Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya when the latter when trapped lbw by Suilemann Benn for 12 in the six over. Benn would get his second wicket in the 12th over when he had Dilshan caught behind for 47 with the score on 92.
His knock came off 37 balls and included eight fours.
Upul Tharanga, who had put together the 47-run stand with Dilshan featured in a 36-run stand with Chamara Silva who made 22 and then 15 with Jayasinghe. He would remain unbeaten on 53 at the end, scoring his runs from just 37 balls and included eight fours as Sri Lanka achieved their target, scoring 160 for 5 from 19 overs.
Tino Best got the wickets of Jayasinghe for seven and Ajantha Mendis for a duck to finish with 2-22 from three overs. Benn had 2-19 from four.
The experienced left-hander hit 14 fours and a six in an even 100 – before he retired. He faced just 88 balls and played a number of powerful shots on both side of the wicket but was particularly eye-catching driving through the covers. His effort helped the West Indies post 282 all out off 48.4 overs.
The score, however, wasn’t enough as the Sri Lanka XI made 283-8 off 47.3 overs.
Bravo shared in two crucial partnerships as the West Indies batsmen looked to get valuable time in the middle ahead of the ODI series, which starts on Saturday. He added 113 with Sunil Ambris, who made 41 off 63 balls with six boundaries.
After Ambris fell, Nicholas Pooran joined Bravo and the pair of left-handers dominated the bowling with a stand of 79 in just 12 overs. Pooran, who made his maiden international century against Sri Lanka at last year’s World Cup, scored 41 off 38 balls, with two fours and two huge sixes. In the backend Fabian Allen (28) and Jason Holder (22) played cameos to boost the total.
“My goal was to spend at much time as possible at the crease. I had a particular game plan and it worked out so I’m confident going into the One-Day Series, later this week,” said Bravo.
In the second half of the match, left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell (2-22) was sensational with the new ball to have the home side two wickets down in the first over.
Left-arm spinner Fabian Allen (2-62) and leg-spinner Hayden Walsh (2-52) both bowled well but they were trumped by a brilliant knock of 120 from former Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharanga, who hit 16 fours and a six off 124 balls.
The West Indies will remain in Colombo this week, where they will have another warm-up match against the SLC XI on Thursday.
The first ODI is at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Saturday.
