Damitha Silva and Sammu Ashan guided Sri Lanka to a six wickets win over South Africa in the third and final under 19 ODI match played at the SSC grounds yesterday and with it the three-match series 2-1 played for the Gamini Dissanayake trophy.
Sri Lanka became the first holder’s of the trophy in this bilateral series between the two countries.
Left arm spinner Silva, who ripped through the Proteas batting order, took 4 for 48 in his 10 overs as South Africa was restricted to 195-9 in their 50-over innings. Skipper Wiaan Mulder top scored with a composed half century.
One down batsman Raynard van Tonder, who shared a 70-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Mulder, made 37 runs, before Sammu Ashan took a brilliant catch off Praveen Abeywickrama.
Ashan held two catches and excelled with his off spin, taking three crucial wickets for 38 runs in 10 overs.
Chasing a 196 target, the Lankans lost three wickets for 66 runs. Opener Shanmuganathan Shanugeeth (41) and Ashan hit a solid unbeaten 70 to guide Sri Lanka to victory with 4.1 overs to spare.
Ashan and Ashen Bandara (37 n.o.) put on an unfinished 100-run stand for the fifth wicket, which helped Sri Lanka to victory.
Mrs. Shrima Dissanayake, wife of the late Gamini Dissanayake graced the final as the chief guest in the company of her son Plantations Minister Naveen Dissanayake. The trophy presented to the winning Sri Lanka u19 captain Avishka Fernando was given in the memory of the former Sri Lanka Cricket Board president and illustrious Lankan politician, who was instrumental in bringing Test status to Sri Lanka.
He was honoured by current Sri Lanka Cricket president and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thilanga Sumathipala.
“The late Gamini Dissanayake, who cherished school cricket and youth cricket was a source of inspiration to our country's cricket,” Sumathipala said.
“The players of both the teams are investments for the respective countries as well as to world cricket in the near future,” he said.
Player of the Match awards
Youth Test Series
1st Youth Test: Sammu Ashan (SL U19), Joshua van Heerden (SA U19)
2nd Youth Test: Pethum Nissanka (SL U19), Joshua van Heerden (SA U19)
3rd Youth Test: Praveen Jayawickrama (SL U19), Wiaan Mulder (SA U19)
Player of the Youth Test Series: Wiaan Mulder (South Africa U19)
One-day Series
1st Youth ODI: Van Buuren (South Africa U19)
2nd Youth ODI: Avishka Fernando (Sri Lanka U19)
3rd Youth ODI: Sammu Ashan (Sri Lanka U19)
Player of the Series: Sammu Ashan
Spirit of Cricket Awards: South Africa U19 captain Wiaan Mulder and Sri Lanka U19 captain Avishka Fernando.
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