Sri Lanka v. Windies - ODIs

[Donny]

Sri Lanka's bowlers clinch 55 run victory
Charlie Austin - June 7, 2003

Sri Lanka's tour of the Caribbean started with an emphatic 55 run win at Bridgetown in the first game of a three-match series. Defending a moderate 201 run total after a stop-start performance with the bat, Chaminda Vaas and Prabath Nissanka clinched the game with penetrative new ball spells. Reduced to 19 for 4 in the first six overs, West Indies never regained the initiative despite a valiant solo effort from Brian Lara.

West Indies had come into the game brimming with confidence after three successive wins against Australia. On paper Sri Lanka represented a far lesser challenge, especially considering their indifferent form since the World Cup. The game ran true to form in the first innings, as Sri Lanka's batsmen – with the exception of Romesh Kaluwitharana (54) and Kumar Dharmasena (40) – struggled against the West Indies' quick bowlers.

Considering the authoritative manner in which the West Indian top order had knocked off recent Australian targets, Sri Lanka's 201 run total looked light. But Vaas and Nissanka superbly exploited a sudden change in the weather. As heavy clouds closed in around the Kensington Oval, the ball swung around dangerously. The West Indian chase never got off the ground.

Vaas set the tone with an immaculate first over, swinging the ball away from the left-handed Chris Gayle, who was dropped at first slip third ball by Mahela Jayawardene. Nissanka broke through first, as Wavell Hinds, who came into the match on the back of two successive match-winning tons, was bowled behind his legs for a duck. Gayle could not capitalise on his first over reprieve, nicking a carbon-copy outswinger from Vaas in the next over (4 for 2).

Ricardo Powell, promoted up the order as Brian Lara surprisingly dropped down the middle order to counter the major threat of Muttiah Muralitharan, started with a firm legside clip but never settled. Vaas trapped him leg-before on the back leg with an inswinger that would have knocked back his middle stump (15 for 3).

When Ramnaresh Sarwan crunched a boundary through the offside, Marvan Atapattu moved Kumar Sangakkara into a short square-point position. Next ball, Sarwan blazed a similar square-drive off the middle of his bat only to see Sangakkara cling onto a fine head-high reaction catch (19 for 4).

A short break for rain provided the West Indies with a chance to regroup, and after the interruption Lara started the repair work with Marlon Samuels. The pair had to negotiate increasing variations in bounce, but they saw off Nissanka and Vaas and became increasingly confident as the sun started to shine once more.

Muttiah Muralitharan was eventually introduced into the attack in the 18th over of the innings to resume a longstanding rivalry with Lara. But it was Dharshana Gamage, Sri Lanka's new bald-headed first change seamer, who broke through. Samuels (29) was caught behind off the thick edge as he tried to force powerfully through the offside (73 for 5).

West Indian hopes were left resting on the shoulders on Lara but he needed support. It was not forthcoming. He added 32 runs with Ridley Jacobs before Muralitharan hurried the match towards an early conclusion, taking the wickets of Jacobs, David Bernard and Mervyn Dillon in quick succession to finish with three for 17 from seven overs. West Indies lost their last five wickets for 41 runs to be bowled out for 146. Lara tried to win the match single-handedly, manipulating the strike as he added 25 runs with Corey Colleymore for the last wicket. He finished with an unbeaten 64 from 130 balls as Colleymore was trapped leg-before.

Earlier, Kaluwitharana had laid the foundations for Sri Lanka's moderate total. Weathering painful blows to his helmet and midriff, he stroked 54 from 75 runs, adding 46 runs with Marvan Atapattu (22) after the first over loss of Sanath Jayasuriya, who was wrongly adjudged to have been caught behind.

Lara's decision to introduce Marlon Samuels' part-time offbreaks into the attack in the 10th over conjured up a breakthrough as Atapattu clipped back a simple return catch. Sri Lanka started to lose their way. Sangakkara (15) was caught at deep point, Mahela Jayawardene ( top edged a pull and Kaluwitharana was run out to leave Sri Lanka in deep trouble on 112 for 5.

West Indies, however, couldn't land the winning punch. Tillakaratne Dilshan (27) and Dharmasena repaired the damage with a workmanlike 59 run stand for the sixth wicket. Despite the loss of the last five wickets for 30 runs, Sri Lanka had scrambled together sufficient runs to complete a timely morale-boosting win.

[couragous cloke]

thank god i fell asleep, Lara did ok but that loss is pretty imbarrassing.

Never mind, we should even it up 2nit!

[Donny]

Sorry, m8, if you're just finding out.

Lara won the toss and batted AND returned to first drop. After an early wicket and some tight bowling from Vaas (1/33 from 10), Gayle (94) and Lara put on 137 for the second wicket.

When Samuels smashed 56 from only 36 balls in a partnership of 109 with his skipper, the Windies were looking good. Lara went on to a brilliant 116 from 106 balls as they racked up 4/312. Should be enough, he must have thought.

It's good to see the Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana combo back at the top of the order for Sri Lanka. They opened with 71 from 10.5 overs.

Atapattu and Sangakara kept the scoreboard ticking over with 75 from 92 to keep their team in touch.

Chandana and Jayawardene then slammed 101 in only 79 balls. When Chandana was dismissed, SL needed 20 runs from 15 balls to win. Jayawardene fell on 301. 12 to win from 10.

Dilshan then hit 13 from 8 balls and SL had won an amazing match with 3 balls to spare. Dillon (0/66 from 10) and Gayle (2/49 from 7) were the most expensive Windies bowlers.

Chandana, who went for 40 runs from his 4 overs, certainly made up for that with his 89 from just 71 balls. He hit 4 sixes and duly won the Player of the Match award.

[Donny]

Lara won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat. He must still be shell shocked from the second game.

Jayasuriya opened in typical fashion with a six from the Windies Daren Powell, playing in his second ODI, but was run out in the 3rd. over for 8.

Collymore had Kalu caught for 14 and SL are 2/40 after 13 overs.

[Donny]

Sri Lanka made 191. Jayawardene top scored with 51.

Collymore was the Windies best bowler, taking 3/28 from his 10 overs. Hurley bowled very well for 1/25 and Taylor took 2/39.

The Windies cruised home after a rain interruption to win with 31 balls to spare. Samuels was 45 n.o. and Murali took 1/26 from 9 overs.

[Donny]

West Indies win dead rubber
Charlie Austin - June 11, 2003

West Indies' recent acquired reputation for saving their best cricket for dead rubbers was enhanced further with their six-wicket wicket win against Sri Lanka in the third and final Duckworth/Lewis affected one-day international at St. Vincent. Sri Lanka, though, bagged the series 2-1.

Sri Lanka's batting, the key to their remarkable series-clinching win at Bridgetown at the weekend, struggled against a next generation West Indies pace attack. Corey Colleymore lead the way, claiming 3 for 38, as Sri Lanka were bowled out for a below-par 191 on an excellent batting strip.

West Indies, cheered on a by a capacity crowd that has become accustomed to home success on their Windward Isle (the West Indies had won 11 out their 12 matches at the venue prior to this match), started their run chase purposely, with Wavell Hinds (19) flaying a couple of back-wrenching boundaries during a 36 run opening partnership.

Sri Lanka started to claw their way back into the game when Hinds smeared a catch to mid on of (36 for 1). That brought Brian Lara (14) to the wicket, fresh from his 64 not out and magnificent 116 in Bridgetown, to renew a personal duel with Muttiah Muralitharan, who had been whisked into the attack early as Sri Lanka pressed for wickets.

But Lara ate away at Muralitharan's precious overs, playing him with care but confidence, so Marvan Atapattu tossed the ball instead to Kumar Dharmasena. Fatally, Lara relaxed. He skipped down the wicket to loft the first ball for six but perished next ball as he aimed a similar shot (54 for 2).

The runs started to dry up. Neither Gayle, who crawled along, facing 75 deliveries for his 21, and Ramaresh Sarwan were comfortable. The pressure started to mount. Eventually, Gayle was bowled around his legs after missing a lazy waft to leg (81 for 3).

But Marlon Samuels, who had earlier fielded brilliantly, pulling off two athletic run outs and one stupendous leaping catch, swaggered to the crease as storm clouds gathered around this seaside ground. He quickly reestablished West Indies' grip on the game, walloping two sixes in an over off Chandana and three in all, racing to 30 off just 16 balls before rain forced the players from the field.

The break did not dampen the spirits of the crowd, or the ambitions of Samuels, the eventual man of the match, as West Indies were set a revised target (186 off 48 overs). Sarwan (25) was caught at slip of Muralitharan, but Samuels and Ricardo Powell kept ahead of the Duckworth/Lewis target before final rain interruption. The pair returned to knock off the required 10 runs after another revised target (160 in 42 overs). Samuels finished with 45 from 38 balls.

Earlier, Jayawardene had top scored, gluing the innings together after the fall of early wickets. Coming to the crease with Sri Lanka tottering on 63 for 4, he scored 51 from 74 balls before missing a full toss in the penultimate over of the innings. It was his first fifty in 18 matches and ended a wretched run with the bat that stretched back to the VB Series in Australia.

But Jayawardene's innings was not enough to wrestle back the initiative won earlier by West Indies' pace bowlers. Colleymore was the pick of them, taking 3 for 28 from his 10 overs, but there was also promising back-up from the inexperienced Jerome Taylor and Darren Powell, who were surprisingly included ahead of Mervyn Dillon and Vasbert Drakes.

Powell was energetic and steady on his comeback, and Taylor, just 18-years-old with only a handful of first-class games under his belt for Jamaica, was impressive on his first outing, generating a lively pace from a smooth run and fluid action. There was no sign of first day nerves and he settled down so well, taking 2 for 36, that his name will surely be seriously discussed for the Test series.

The pace bowlers were well supported by their part-time spinners, Ryan Hurley, Gayle and Samuels, and Sri Lanka had to graft hard for their runs. The only partnerships of note were between Jayawardene and Chandana (57 in 109 balls) for the fifth wicket and Jayawardene and Dharmasena (42 in 38 balls) for the seventh. However, the innings then fell away in the slog overs to set-up a comfortable West Indies win.

[couragous cloke]

really not good enough, should have won the series, and had easy chances in the 2 opening games, hopefully we make it up in the tests!