Jayasuriya slams 20th one-day hundred

Sri Lanka beat England by 46 runs

CRICKET: Former captain Sanath Jayasuriya, played the stellar role to guide Sri Lanka to a comfortable 46-run win and a 2-0 lead in the five-match one-day international series against England at the Brit Oval in London here Tuesday.

The left-handed all-rounder scored a brilliant 20th one-day hundred and then followed it up by taking three key wickets with his left-arm spin. He dismissed Kevin Pietersen (73 off 76 balls,1 six, 9 fours), Paul Collingwood (56 off 62 balls, 2 fours) and Jamie Dalrymple (37) to take the man-of-the-match award.

England chasing Sri Lanka's 319-8, were dismissed for 273 in 46.4 overs.

Overall it was wonderful performance by Sri Lanka in all departments of the game maybe with the exception of the fielding where at least three catches were grassed. Sri Lanka recovered well from the early morning shock of learning that they would be without fast bowler Dilhara Fernando to an ankle injury to run up a huge total, which gave them enough space to bowl England out. In fact Sri Lanka's total of 319-8 after winning the toss and batting first was their highest against England in 34 meetings beating the previous highest of 303-9 at Adelaide in 1998-9.

Jayasuriya's century led a Sri Lankan batting rampage on a fast pitch. He has a liking for this venue having made a superb double hundred against England in a Test eight years ago, was in outstanding form as he murdered the hapless bowlers to all parts of the ground to score 122 off 136 balls inclusive of 15 fours and two sixes.

Jayasuriya was severe on paceman Sajid Mahmood treating him brutally by taking 15 off his first over and 17 off his fifth so that his first spell of five overs cost him 59 runs. The runs just cascaded when Jayasuriya and his captain Mahela Jayawardene were in partnership. They added 160 runs off 140 balls for the second wicket, which was a record for Sri Lanka against England beating 144 by Hashan Tillakaratne and Jayasuriya at Sydney in 2002-03.

This pair with over 572 one-day internationals between them took the attack to the England bowlers whose combined experience were just 154 one-day internationals.

Their stand nullified England's early success when Steve Harmison who tied Upul Tharanga down with some good deliveries got him to edge one low to Trescothick at first slip in the ninth over. Tharanga man of the match at Lord's with a century made 17 out of an opening stand of 34 with Jayasuriya.

Jayasuriya used his feet well and with the ball coming nicely onto the bat from the pitch which had a bit of pace, took on the England bowlers in a manner where only he is capable of. It is his reputation for decimating the bowling that has made him one of the most feared opening batsmen in this level of cricket.

Jayawardene played magnificently and set the tone for the innings by getting off the mark with a six to leg off Mahmood. A very elegant player he proved an ideal foil to Jayasuriya's unorthodox stroke play. The two put on a terrific partnership that all but has put England out of the game.

It was surprising to see Strauss calling for the fourth and final power play of five overs when the partnership was in full flow instead of delaying it later. As a result the five overs cost England 59 runs.

Entering the 90s, Jayasuriya slowed down. with over 350 one-day caps behind him Jayasuriya still suffered from nerves getting to his hundred. He finally got there after some anxious moments when he was nearly caught by Pietersen at mid wicket at 97, his century coming off 122 balls inclusive of 11 fours and two sixes.

Following Jayawardene's dismissal by a run out for 66 scored off 62 balls (5 fours, 1 six), Kumar Sangakkara took over the role and using his feet beautifully waded into the England bowlers racing to a half-century off 41 balls (5 fours, 1 six) before holing out to long on.

Although England came back in the latter stages to capture five wickets for 19 runs, they had a tall order to chase 300 plus on a wicket, which is still good for batting.

Harmison stood head and shoulders tall amongst the England bowlers finishing with excellent figures of three for 31 off 10 overs with two maidens. Mahmood was the worst to suffer going for 80 runs off seven overs despite capturing two late wickets. England once again suffered from conceding a great deal of extras. Following their record 42 on Saturday, today they allowed 33, which included 21 wides and a no-ball.

NOTE: Jayasuriya's individual score was changed from 120 to 122 by official scorers and Dilshan credited with nine runs.

SRI LANKA Innings 

U. Tharanga c Trescothick b Harmison	17
S. Jayasuriya c Bresnan b Harmison 	122
M. Jayawardene run out			66
K. Sangakkara c Pietersen b Mahmood	51
T. Dilshan b Bresnan 			 9
R. Arnold c Strauss b Harmison		 5
F. Maharoof run out			 0
C. Vaas c G. Jones b Mahmood		13
L. Malinga  not out			 2
M. Muralitharan not out			 1
EXTRAS (b-4 lb-7 nb-1 w-21)		33
TOTAL (for 8 wickets, 50 overs)		319
Fall of wickets: 1-34 2-194 3-259 4-283 5-298 
6-298 7-304 8-317
Did not bat: R. Perera                              
BOWLING: S. Harmison 10-2-31-3 (w-2), L. Plunkett 8-0-58-0 (w-2), 
T. Bresnan 6-0-38-1 (w-4), S. Mahmood 7-0-80-2 (nb-1 w-4), 
P. Collingwood 5-0-30-0 (w-1), J. Dalrymple 10-0-45-0 (w-4), 
K. Pietersen 4-0-26-0 (w-3)

ENGLAND Innings  
M. Trescothick c Dilshan b Malinga		 9
A. Strauss c Muralitharan b Maharoof		18
I. Bell c Muralitharan b Malinga		40
K. Pietersen b Jayasuriya			73
P. Collingwood b Jayasuriya 			56
J. Dalrymple st Sangakkara b Jayasuriya 	37
G. Jones c Sangakkara b Muralitharan		 8
T. Bresnan not out 				11
S. Mahmood run out				 4
L. Plunkett run out 				 3
S. Harmison run out 				 2
EXTRAS (lb-5 nb-2 w-5)				12
TOTAL (all out, 46.4 overs)			273
Fall of wickets: 1-10 2-48 3-116 4-176 5-222 
6-235 7-253 8-258 9-263 10-273        
BOWLING: C. Vaas 8-0-42-0, L. Malinga  8-0-45-2 (w-2), 
F. Maharoof 7-0-39-1 (nb-1), R. Perera 5-0-40-0 (nb-1 w-1), 
M. Muralitharan  9.4-0-51-1 (w-1), S. Jayasuriya 9-0-51-3 (w-1),