Fernando hits century as Sri Lanka set West Indies target of 338

Sri Lanka shrugged off their World Cup disappointment as Avishka Fernando's maiden one-day international century carried them to 338 for six against an uninspired West Indies.

Fernando had flickered against England and South Africa without a decisive contribution but his 104 off 103 balls at Chester-le-Street was Sri Lanka's first ton of the tournament.

England's defeat of India on Sunday had the knock-on effect of ending Sri Lanka's hopes of qualification to the knockout stages but they seem to have moved on from the setback quickly, posting their highest score of the tournament.

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 1, 2019

Their total was swelled by a lacklustre fielding display from the Windies, who won the toss under cloudy skies in blustery conditions, only for Sri Lanka openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera to lay a solid foundation.

Neither batsman was unduly troubled in a breezy 93-run stand which came to an end when Karunaratne wafted at a wider delivery and toe-edged Jason Holder behind.

By this stage, the more dynamic Perera had brought up a 38-ball half-century. He was clumsily dropped on 59 by Nicholas Pooran in the deep but added just five more runs before being run out.

Fernando muscled a pull over the cow corner boundary when Sheldon Cottrell dropped short following a watchful start.

Sri Lanka's number three had caught the eye against England with a sparkling 49 off 39 balls while he was their joint top-scorer in the heavy defeat to South Africa last time out.

He was a little more measured early on but he and Kusal Mendis still put on 85 in quick time before the latter bunted a return catch to Fabian Allen, who excellently plucked the ball out of the air diving to his right.

Angelo Mathews settled quickly in a cameo 26 off 20 but Fernando, having passed his half-century, was becoming the mainstay, intent on pushing Sri Lanka forwards to a competitive score.

He had moments of fortune, an outside edge off the wayward Shannon Gabriel dropping short of wicketkeeper Shai Hope while he just about managed to clear mid-on off Holder.

He cleared the boundary off Cottrell once more with a meaty blow over deep midwicket and ran hard to move into three figures for the first time in Sri Lanka colours at exactly a run a ball.

He holed out to long-off off Cottrell, the salute making an overdue appearance, but Lahiru Thirimanne, caught on 14 off an Oshane Thomas no-ball, made a more than handy contribution of 45 from 33 balls.

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