Published: Nov 08, 2015, 08:42 AM (IST)
Edited: Nov 08, 2015, 08:54 PM (IST)
Pallekele: An unbeaten century by Marlon Samuels went in vain as Sri Lanka defeated the West Indies by 19 runs on Saturday to sweep the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series 3-0.Set a revised Duckworth-Lewis target of 190 off 36 overs after a rain interruption, the hosts were 180-5 from 32.3 overs when it started drizzling again and umpires decided to call off play with three overs remaining. The in-form Kusal Perera gave the hosts a flying start, hitting a quickfire 50 off 47 balls before useful knocks by the middle order batsmen ensured a comfortable victory in the end. The teams next play two Twenty20 games, with the first match scheduled for Monday. SCORECARD: Sri Lanka vs West Indies 2015, 3RD ODI at Pallekele
Earlier, Samuels smashed an unbeaten 110 to guide the West Indies to a competitive 206-9. Samuels, 34, anchored the innings with his 95-ball knock, hitting one six and 15 fours in the day-night game. The visitors, who lost the first two ODIs, were off to a disastrous start after being put in to bat at the Pallekele stadium. Paceman Lasith Malinga (2-43) tasted success in the first over, having opener Johnson Charles caught off the fourth ball by Tillakaratne Dilshan. Andre Fletcher (six) was trapped leg before off Suranga Lakmal while Dilshan took another catch off Malinga to send back Jermaine Blackwood. UPDATES: Sri Lanka vs West Indies 2015, 3rd ODI at Pallekele
Denesh Ramdin lobbed a short ball from Dushmantha Chameera to wicketkeeper Perera who lunged forward to complete a neat catch and leave West Indies reeling at 18-4. Samuels then rebuilt the innings almost single-handedly, reaching his second successive half-century and ninth ODI ton in the process. Sri Lanka had swept the preceding Test series 2-0.
