Lankan Emerging team end England tour on a winning note

Sri Lanka Emerging team had a a convincing 67 run win against Gloucestershire in their T-20 cricket fixture played at Bristol, England on Sunday.

In fact this victory was more important for Emerging team to finish their one month long tour on a winning note. Sri Lankan emerging team played three 4 day games and three T20 ‘ s on this tour and managed to get the solitary win over Gloucestershire in the last game. The architect of the Emerging teams victory was promising top order batter Nuwanidu Fernando who scored a match wiining knock of unbeaten 126 in 67 balls with 14 fours and 4 sixes while right arm medium paceman Nipun Ransika produced a equally good spell of 4 for 11 in 2.3 overs to seal their victory. Nuwanidu Fernando the 22 year old right hander came as opener for the first time in this series made a superb aggressive knock which guided Emerging team to build up challenge total of 205 for 4 wickets in 20 overs .This was the Nuwanidu’ s best knock of his 22 T20 career .Nipun Dhananjaya who captained the 4 day games scored 31 in 22 balls with 4 fours while all rounder Dhananjaya Lakshan who is the T 20 captain scored 14 in 11 balls with 2 fours played a good supporting role to build up the total.

This is the first time Emerging team scored over 200 runs in this T 20 series as they were struggling in the previous two games against Surrey and Somerset .

Gloucestershire chasing a target of 206 were all out for 138 in 16.3 overs while right arm medium fast bowler Nipun Ransika did most of the damage with his best figures of 4 for 11 at the T 20 format .The product of P.de S Kularatne MV Ambalangoda who was adjudged best schoolboy cricketer in the Observer Mobitel cricket awards in 2017 finished this England tour on a memorable note while all rounder Dhananjaya Lakshan who took a first ball wicket of the innings against opener William Naish finished with 2 for 29 in a 3 over spell well supported by T 20 debutant leg spinner Dilum Sudeera, 19-year-old Dunith Wellalage and Nipun Malinga shared one wicket each while the only run out of the Gloucestershire innings, Ben Wells ( top score of 42) was out due to a good piece of fielding by Ashen Bandara at covers .

Sri Lanka recorded three no decision games at the 4 day series against Kent, Hampshire and Surrey while Nishan Madushka was the hero of the four day series with a record knock of 269 against Kent in their first four Day game. The four day games against Kent, Hampshire and Surrey ended in draws but Emerging team gained good experience throughout the tournament.

Meanwhile in the T 20 series Emerging team lost to Surrey by 9 wickets (62 balls remaining) , lost to Somerset by 66 runs and last game won by 67 runs for a 1-2 series defeat. The one month long England tour paved the way to good match exposure while they got accustomed to English conditions during this tour which stand them in good stead in the future .

Chief scores

SL Emerging team beat Gloucestershire by 67 runs

SL Emerging XI : 205 for 4 wickets in 20 overs (Nuwanidu Fernando 126*(67), Nipun Dananjaya 31(22), Josh Shaw 1/23, Luke Charlesworth 1/32)

Gloucestershire: 138 all out in 16.3 overs ( Ben Wells 42, Tom Price 25, Nipun Ransika 4/11, Dhananjaya Lakshan 3/29)