‘We were pretty poor’ - Pollard blasts Windies after ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka

HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka (CMC):

Captain Kieron Pollard has slammed West Indies’ performance in Wednesday’s second One-Day International (ODI) as “pretty, pretty poor” and has taken full responsibility for the manner of defeat, which saw them concede yet another series on Sri Lankan soil.

The Caribbean side produced a lacklustre effort in the field as Sri Lanka piled up 345 for eight off their 50 overs, courtesy of hundreds from Man of the Match Avishka Fernando (127) and Kusal Mendis (119).

Facing a difficult run chase, West Indies rolled over with hardly a whimper, bundled out for 184 in the 40th over, to suffer a 161-run defeat – their heaviest ever to Sri Lanka.

“It was the sort of start we were looking for, getting a few wickets early, but I think after that it all went pear-shaped,” a despondent Pollard said following the defeat.

“It started with me, that catch off Kusal Mendis – it would have been three wickets down, and then after that I don’t think we stuck to the plans long enough. Overall, we were outplayed by Sri Lanka.

“At the end of the day we’re here to play international cricket of a high standard, and I don’t think we were up to that standard today, and at the end of the day if we had to rate this performance I think we were pretty, pretty poor.”

Mendis was put down on two at first slip by Pollard in the third over off pacer Jason Holder and went on to post his second ODI hundred.

Along with Fernando, Mendis helped post a record 239-run third wicket stand, capitalising on loose Windies bowling to take command of the contest at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium.

When the Windies chased, only Shai Hope with a top score of 51 off 65 balls and Nicholas Pooran with 31 off 41 showed any resistance. At one stage, the visitors were 130 for three but lost their last seven wickets for 54 runs.

Pollard said the performance was made even more disappointing especially with the Windies trying to get back into the series after losing last Saturday’s opener. He added that even though the series was lost, he was still expecting a professional effort from the Windies in Sunday’s last ODI.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA

A Fernando c Paul b Joseph 127

*D Karunaratne c Allen b Cottrell 1

+K Perera c wkp Hope b Cottrell 0

K Mendis c wkp Hope b Joseph 119

T Perera b Cottrell 36

A Mathews b Joseph 1

D de Silva b Cottrell 12

W Hasaranga run out 17

I Udana not out 17

Extras (lb3, w10, nb2) 15

TOTAL (8 wkts, 50 overs) 345

Did not bat: L Sandakan, N Pradeep.

Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Karunaratne), 2-9 (K Perera), 3-248 (Mendis), 4-271 (Fernando), 5-274 (Mathews), 6-303 (de Silva), 7-316 (T Perera), 8-345 (Hasaranga)

Bowling: Cottrell 10-0-67-4, Holder 8-0-59-0, Joseph 10-0-57-3, Allen 6-0-37-0, Paul 7-0-62-0, Chase 6-0-31-0, Pollard 3-0-29-0.

WEST INDIES

+S Hope c Karunaratne b Mathews 51

S Ambris run out 17

D Bravo c de Silva b Hasaranga 16

R Chase b Sandakan 20

N Pooran c Mathews b Sandakan 31

*K Pollard b Hasaranga 0

J Holder b Hasaranga 3

K Paul b Pradeep 21

F Allen c Perera b Sandakan 17

A Joseph b Nuwan Pradeep 0

S Cottrell not out 0

Extras (lb1, w6, nb1) 8

TOTAL (all out, 39.1 overs) 184

Fall of wickets: 1-64 (Ambris), 2-83 (Hope), 3-93 (Bravo), 4-130 (Chase), 5-131 (Pollard), 6-137 (Holder), 7-158 (Pooran), 8-184 (Paul), 9-184 (Joseph), 10-184 (Allen)

Bowling: Pradeep 6-0-37-2, T Perera 5-0-18-0, Udana 4-0-21-0, Mathews 5-0-20-1, Hasaranga 10-0-30-3, Sandakan 9.1-0-57-3.

Result: Sri Lanka won by 161 runs.

Series: Sri Lanka lead three-match series 2-0.

Man-of-the-Match: Avishka Fernando.

Toss: West Indies.

Umpires: Lyndon Hannibal, Marais Erasmus; TV – Paul Wilson.