Reuters
Pakistan's Inzamam ul-Haq lifts the Bank Alfalah trophy after winning their fifth and final one-day international against the West Indies at the National Stadium in Karachi yesterday.

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

Sri Lanka captain Russell Arnold was run out off the last ball of the innings as the fourth one-day match against West Indies A finished in a dramatic tie at the Beausejour Cricket Ground late Friday night.

Requiring 18 from the last over to overhaul West Indies A's 260 for six off 50 overs, Arnold thumped two massive sixes off left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds to bring Sri Lanka within sight of victory.

With two runs needed from the last ball, however, Arnold scrambled the first run quickly but was run out attempting the second, as the pulsating day/night affair finished on even keel.

The left-handed Arnold, the bedrock of Sri Lanka's innings, finished on 79 at better than a run-a-ball. He hit six fours to accompany his last-over sixes. Openers Avishka Gunawardene and Mahela Udawatte gave Sri Lanka the visitors a perfect start, posting 77 as the Windies A bowlers struggled under the lights.

All-rounder Darren Sammy, sending down his medium pace, finally got the breakthrough when he bowled Udawatte for 25.

Sammy starred again

West Indies A did not have to wait much longer for further success as Sammy starred again, pulling off a simple catch at point to send back new batsman Kaushal Lokuarachchi without scoring, off Ryan Hinds' bowling.

Gunawardene, who stroked 66 from 72 balls with nine fours and one six, added 51 for the third wicket with Jeevan Mendis (28) as Sri Lanka consolidated.

The stand ended when Gunawardene played over a full length delivery from fast bowler Gavin Tonge and was bowled with the score on 130 for three.

Tonge, earlier switched to the southern end for a second spell, picked up two more wickets in quick succession to leave the visitors reeling.

First, he bowled Mendis for 28, and then found Thilan Samaraweera's outside edge which Patrick Browne gobbled up diving to his right. Samaraweera went without scoring and Sri Lanka slumped to 141 for five.

Gayan Wijekoon set up a partial recovery with Arnold, adding 25 for the sixth wicket, but when Sammy leapt high at gully to snare a fine catch to remove Wijekoon for 15, Sri Lanka were again under pressure.

Kaushal Silva was soon bowled by Wavell Hinds for 11 and Sri Lanka struggled at 213 for seven. Arnold then found a resolute partner in Malinga Bandara, who finished unbeaten on 13, and together they took the match down to the wire before the drama unfolded in the last over.