Priyanjan, Perera tons lead Sri Lanka A to victory

Sri Lanka A 325 for 5 (Priyanjan 136*, Perera 112) beat Rest of Sri Lanka 186 (Thirimanne 42, Rambukwella 3-43) by 139 runs
Scorecard

Two dashing middle-order tons for Sri Lanka A ended Rest of Sri Lanka's winning streak in the List A tournament in Pallekele, as the A team recorded a 139-run victory - their first in the tournament. Hundreds to Ashan Priyanjan and Angelo Perera propelled Sri Lanka A to 325 for 5 in their 50 overs, and Rest of Sri Lanka mustered only 186 all out in response, with none of their batsmen able to cross 50. Rest of Sri Lanka were missing their two best-performing bowlers in Rangana Herath and Nuwan Kulasekara, both of whom had been rested, and were also hamstrung by an injury to Chanaka Welegedara, who could only deliver 16 balls in the match.

Rest of Sri Lanka began poorly, as they lost their first four wickets for 79 inside the first 20 overs, but were soon revived, then roaring, thanks to the 224-run partnership between Perera and Priyanjan. The pair began cautiously, as they worked to rebuild from the early losses, as Priyanjan took 24 deliveries to make his first 10 runs, and Perera struck significantly less than a run-a-ball for his first 30, but quickly accelerated after the 32nd over, at the end of which their side was at 122. The next 16.4 overs of their association was a blur of boundaries, with the 23-run slaughter of the 46th over - where Priyanjan hit a boundary off each of the five Chamara Kapugedara balls he faced - was a particular highlight. When Perera was adjudged lbw off Shaminda Eranga off the final over, the pair had bludgeoned 181 from the last 101 deliveries they had faced together. Priyanjan finished the innings with four consecutive fours off Dilruwan Perera, and remained unbeaten on 136 from 99 balls, having hit 15 fours and 5 sixes. This is Priyanjan's maiden century in this format. Angelo Perera made 112 from 97.

Rest of Sri Lanka could not achieve much traction in their run chase, as the top order stumbled, with only two of them reaching double figures. Though Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Thirimanne stood firm for a time, neither could manage the strike rate that would pose a serious challenge to the opposition's total, and when their side crawled to 108 for 6 in the 27th over, the result was largely rendered a formality. Dilruwan Perera, Milinda Siriwardene and Shaminda Eranga hit late runs, but their side was bowled out in the 41st over. Offspinning allrounder Ramith Rambukwella was the best of Sri Lanka A's bowlers, snaring three middle order wickets for 43 from his 7.5 overs.

Sri Lanka A play Sri Lanka Combined on the 18th, in a match that will decide who will take on Rest of Sri Lanka in the final on Monday.