Fabian Allen smashed three sixes off the penultimate over of the match to hand the West Indies a hard-fought three-wicket win over Sri Lanka at the Coolidge Cricket Ground this evening.
The West Indies, who took the series 2-1, was staring possible defeat in the face at 105-7 after 17 overs, needing 27 from the last 18 balls but with only Kevin Sinclair and Obed McCoy to come. With Jason Holder at the other end and the West Indies needing 20 from the last two overs, Allen hit the first ball of the 19th over bowled by Akila Dananjaya for six and then ran two leg byes off the second.
He then smashed the third ball for six and then took a single off the fourth. Holder took a single from the fifth, leaving Allen to face the last ball of the over with four runs needed for victory. Allen duly obliged with his third six of the over to end unbeaten on 21 off just six balls.
Holder was not out on 14.
Chasing 132 for victory, the West Indies were put in a spin by Hasaranga de Silva 2-13 and Lakshan Sandakan 3-29, who threatened to take the match away from the home side. The former removed Evin Lewis for 21 and Lendl Simmons for 26, both batsmen playing injudicious shots to the bowler, who prior to the start, had planned to see off.
Sandakan and Dushmantha Chameera (2-23) then combined to rip the heart out of the West Indies middle order. Sandakan bowled Chris Gayle for 13 early in the piece and then returned to bowl Rovman Powell for seven and then getting Dwayne Bravo caught at short fine leg for a golden duck from consecutive deliveries as the match headed towards a thrilling climax.
Chameera had Kieron Pollard caught behind for a duck and then bowled Nicholas Pooran for 23 to leave the West Indies in a spot of bother at 95 for 5.
Dananjaya ended with regrettable figures of 0-53 from his four overs.
Earlier, an unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership of 85 from 63 balls between Dinesh Chandimal and Ashen Bandara helped take Sri Lanka from 46 for 4, after the West Indies bowlers had combined to restrict the visitors to 46 for 4 mid-way the 10th over.
The pair took 13 off Dwayne Bravo’s final over to push the score to produce the highest fifth-wicket partnership for Sri Lanka to reach 131 for 4.
Chandimal’s unbeaten score of 54 came off 46 balls. He only hit three fours as he and his fellow batsmen were made to work hard by the West Indies bowlers, who produced a disciplined display.
Bandara’s 44 not out came from 35 balls hitting three fours and two sixes.
So restrictive was the home side’s attack they limited Sri Lanka to only eight fours and two sixes over the course of the 20-over allotment.
Fabian Allen, who returned figures of 1-13 from his four overs, took the first Sri Lankan wicket when he took a brilliant return catch to dismiss Danushka Gunathilaka for nine with only 10 runs on the board.
Nirsoshan Dickwella provided Kevin Sinclair (1-19) with his second wicket of the series caught by Jason Holder at wide mid-on for four as Sri Lanka crept to 15 for 2 in the fourth over.
Sinclair returned the favour when he took Pathum Nissanka at mid-off of Holder’s (1-27) short-of-a-length delivery for five to leave Sri Lanka struggling at 27 for 3.
Chandimal and Captain Angelo Matthews began to repair the damage with a stand of 19 when Matthews was caught behind off an Obed McCoy (1-29) delivery for 11. However, his dismissal opened the door to the record stand that took Sri Lanka’s to a competitive total at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
The West Indies will now turn their attention to the ODI Series set to begin at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium at North Sound on March 10, 2021.
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India lose openers cheaply as Australia build on Steve Smith ton in WTC final
India lost both openers cheaply following Steve Smith’s 31st career century as Australia turned the screw on the second afternoon of the World Test Championship final.
Smith followed day one centurion Travis Head to three figures, for his third ton at the Oval and his seventh overall on English soil.
Australia were eventually bowled out for 469, Head falling for 163 and Smith for 121, as India’s bowlers rallied to pick up the last seven wickets for 108 runs.
But Australia still had plenty of scoreboard pressure and kept themselves in the driving seat by striking twice with the new ball as India reached tea on 37 for two.
Captain Pat Cummins made the initial opening, thumping his opposite number Rohit Sharma halfway up the front pad with one that shaped in towards middle and off.
Scott Boland then joined the fray, seaming one in sharply and rearranging Shubman Gill’s stumps as he paid the price for a poorly judged leave.
India survived a potential gut punch when star batter Virat Kohli came close to departing for a duck, withdrawing the bat only to see an inside edge spray off the toe and zip past his stumps.
Smith had ended day one on 95 not out and showed no sign of any overnight nerves, pinging his first two balls of the morning for four as Mohammed Siraj coughed up a couple of gentle looseners.
Smith raised his bat in celebration after 229 balls at the crease, his latest triumph in a country where he has batted long and often. In doing so he took his average in England back above 60 and up beyond 100 at this ground.
Head progressed from 146 to 163 at a reliably rapid pace, but eventually came undone against India’s short-ball tactics.
After peppering the left-hander with a variety of bumpers, Siraj finally got his man with one that climbed towards his hip and flicked a glove as Head tried to step inside the line and whip towards square-leg.
Cameron Green fluffed his lines slightly at number six, guiding his first ball for four but making just two more before driving airily at Mohammed Shami and spearing a sharp catch to second slip.
India continued to drag themselves back into the fight, Smith’s concentration finally wavering when he nicked Shardul Thakur back into his stumps with an uncharacteristically lazy prod.
The lower order were wrapped up with moderate resistance, Alex Carey chancing his arm in an unconvincing 48, with Siraj finishing with four for 108.
That left India with 10 overs to see off before the break and Australia ensured the opportunity did not go to waste as Cummins and Boland both opened their accounts for the summer.
Australia’s Steve Smith racks up seventh Test century on English soil
Steve Smith continued his love affair with batting in England, adding to his impressive collection of centuries on the second morning of the World Test Championship final against India.
Smith already had six Test hundreds to his name in English conditions and added a seventh as Australia moved to 422 for seven during a lively morning session at the Oval.
The 34-year-old came out on the wrong end of a couple of debatable lbw decisions during his recent overseas stint with Sussex in the LV= County Championship, but he was back in a familiar groove as he converted an unbeaten 95 overnight into 121.
As well as driving home Australia’s advantage in the ICC’s showpiece, it also tuned Smith up nicely for an Ashes series that is just eight days away, nudging his average in this country back past 60.
Australia resumed on 327 for three after a dominant first day, with the match progressing swiftly as 95 runs and four wickets were added in two eventful hours.
Smith wasted no time at all in passing three figures, hitting his first two balls of the morning from Mohammed Siraj to the boundary as he cashed in on a couple of looseners.
It had taken him 229 balls to get there, a gentle pace by modern standards, but it was another reminder of his ruthless ability to grind down bowling attacks.
India’s bowlers quickly settled on bouncing the set pair of Smith and Travis Head, who lit up day one with a brilliant ton of his own. He continued his rapid scoring rate to reach 163 in 174 deliveries, but eventually came undone against a relentless tactic.
After trying and failing to pick him off with a variety of bumpers, Siraj finally got his man with one that climbed towards his hip and flicked a glove as Head tried to whip towards square-leg.
Cameron Green fluffed his lines slightly at number six, guiding his first ball for four but making just two more before driving airily at Mohammed Shami and spearing a sharp catch to second slip.
India continued to drag themselves back into the fight, Smith’s concentration finally wavering when he nicked Shardul Thakur back into his stumps with an uncharacteristically lazy prod.
With Alex Carey living dangerously and Mitchell Starc running himself out for five, Australia were losing a little momentum but with plenty of scoreboard pressure already applied.
Jos Buttler hits half-century as Lancashire return to winning ways in the Blast
England captain Jos Buttler struck a fine half-century to help Lancashire beat Vitality Blast North Group leaders Worcestershire by four wickets in Blackpool.
Opener Buttler hit 58 off 42 balls to record only his second fifty in 14 T20 innings as the hosts successfully chased down 178 at Stanley Park.
Steven Croft had been run out for 40 after he and Buttler fell in the space of three balls during the 15th over, but New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell hit a rapid 33 to end Lancashire’s four-game losing streak.
Worcestershire – who lost for the just the second time – had posted 177 for nine, with Adam Hose making 42 and Mitchell Santner a swift 57 as Mitchell took three for nine from his two overs.
In the South Group, leaders Somerset suffered a first defeat as Hampshire secured a five-run win at the Ageas Bowl.
Nathan Ellis produced two stunning death overs as Hampshire made it four wins on the bounce after James Vince hit 50 and an unbeaten 59 from Joe Weatherley helped the hosts post 178 for four.
In reply, Will Smeed cracked an exciting 52, with seven boundaries, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore made 43 to seemingly keep Somerset on track.
But Australian quick Ellis helped close out victory with some fine tight bowling in the 17th and 19th overs as Hampshire moved up to third.
A hat-trick from Sam Cook helped Essex beat Kent by four wickets in Canterbury.
Cook – who claimed four wickets in Tuesday’s home win over Sussex – struck in the fifth over, removing Tawanda Muyeye (10) swiftly followed by having Sam Billings caught behind and then trapping Jordan Cox lbw.
Kent recovered from 35 for four to post 150 for eight, with Joe Denly (39) a fourth wicket for Cook and Grant Stewart hitting four sixes in his 37 off 16.
After Essex openers Feroze Khushi and Dan Lawrence both fell for ducks in reply, Matt Critchley’s unbeaten 63 saw them home as Kent suffered a fifth consecutive Blast defeat.
An unbeaten half-century from Derbyshire captain Leus Du Plooy pushed the Falcons on to a six-wicket win over Birmingham at Edgbaston.
The hosts had posted 203 for seven, built on 79 not out from Sam Hain as Mattie McKiernan took three for 39 from his four overs.
Derbyshire – who had won just two Blast games so far – set about what was a club-record run chase through openers Luis Reece (57) and Haider Ali (48).
Du Plooy then came in to plunder an unbeaten 66 from just 25 balls – with five sixes and four boundaries – to see the Falcons home.
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At Sophia Gardens, Laurie Evans struck a magnificent 118 off 60 balls – including 12 boundaries and half-a-dozen sixes – as Surrey closed out a 65-run win over Glamorgan.
Sam Curran (66) and Will Jacks (46) were also among the runs as Surrey set their hosts a victory target of 237.
Glamorgan, though, could only reach 171 for eight, with opener Sam Northeast having made 76 while all-rounder Dan Douthwaite was unable to bat because of injury.
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