Sri Lanka have been warned. In 366 days they will play their fourth match in the 2003 World Cup at the Nairobi Gymkhana Club. Their opponents will be Kenya and Sanath Jayasuriya's side will underestimate them at their peril if they want to be sure of progressing to the super sixes stage of that tournament.
Kenya may have been humiliated in the unofficial Test series against Sri Lanka A, but fortunes in the three-match one-day series have been reversed, with the visitors brushing their hosts aside on Saturday to establish an unassailable two-nil lead.
At Kurunegala their bowlers and fieldsmen restricted the Sri Lankans with a spirited display and here, in the blustery seaside Colombo suburb of Moratuwa, their batsmen launched a high-powered assault that left their opponents shell-shocked, paving the way for a 39 run victory.
Kenya rattled up 313 in the first innings thanks to a well-crafted century from opener Ravindu Shah (128), cameos from the senior men, Steve Tikolo (37) and Maurice Odumbe (27), and a blistering innings from wicket-keeper batsman David Obuya, who slammed 43 from 14 balls.
Indeed, whilst Shah's impressive hundred laid the foundations for victory, Obuya's explosive hitting took the game beyond the grasp of Sri Lanka A. Kenya scored 70 runs in the final five overs of the innings, with Obuya crashing four scud-like sixes and three fours.
Sri Lanka A started in frenetic fashion, losing four top order wickets in the opening 15 overs. Avishka Gunwardene, whose brand of brawny strokeplay represented the major threat to such an imposing target, started menacingly with 21 from 12 balls before pulling across the line of a grubber.
Tillakaratne Dilshan celebrated his recent recall to the national side with his second successive duck, as he aimed an airy swish; Anushka Polonnowita batted boldly, clumping 30 from 27 balls, before being trapped lbw, and Chamara Silva was bowled around his legs whilst trying to flick to leg. Sri Lanka were 85 for four.
A festive local crowd had all but given up hope. But captain Upul Chandana (108) revived the home team's chances with a brilliant counter attack, scoring an 80 ball hundred that included five towering sixes, three of which landed in neighbouring gardens.
Well supported by Gayan Ramakumara (38) and Prassana Jayawardene (33), the initiative started to swing towards Sri Lanka A. With 15 overs remaining they were 215 for five, now needing just over a run a ball for victory.
Kenya's bowlers and fielders started to panic under the pressure, feeding Chandana with width and a steady supply of miss-fields and overthrows. However, Tikolo's flat off-breaks precipitated a late innings slide. Jayawardene was caught and bowled in the 36th over (226 for six).
Chandana pushed on, adding 31 in 20 balls with Muthmudalige Pushpakumara, before he was well caught in the deep by Hitesh Modi, who was so ecstatic at the crucial breakthrough that he dropped his sunglasses, which were smartly pinched by a light-fingered spectator.
The loss of Chandana proved to be the final turning point. Pushpakumara was caught and bowled, Dulip Liyanage was clasped in the deep and Pulasthi Gunaratne was run out. Sri Lanka A had lost their last four wickets for 23 runs to be bowled out for 274.
Kenya's performance was far from flawless, especially in the field, but with a year to prepare for the World Cup they have a realistic chance of springing an upset or two. Sri Lanka must take note.
© Cricinfo
| Teams | Sri Lanka. Kenya. |
| Players/Umpires | Upul Chandana, Gayan Wijekooon, Anushka Polonowita, Prasanna Jayawardene, Ravindu Shah, Kennedy Otieno, Steve Tikolo, Tony Suji. |
| Tours | Kenya in Sri Lanka |
| Scorecard | 2nd One Day: Sri Lanka 'A' v Kenya, 23 Feb 2002 |
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