Samaraweera, Vaas put Lanka in with a winning chance

Second Test poised for enthralling finish:

Elmo Rodrigopulle from the West Indies

A magnificent century from right hander Thilan Samarawera and a responsible 45 from left hander Chaminda Vaas who were involved in a record breaking stand of 138 for the seventh wicket put Sri Lanka in with a winning chance against the West Indies at the end of the third day of the second Test, here today.

At the end of the third day, the Lankans were all out for 268 setting the home team a victory target of 253 with two days remaining.

The Windies in reply to the Lankan first innings score of 278, continuing from 268 for 7 were dismissed for 294 gaining a lead of 16 runs.

It was a pathetic batting display that was witnessed when the Lankans went in a second time.

Thanks to some splendid bowling by Muttiah Muralitheran 5 for 79 and Chaminda Vaas 2 for 76 who bowled unchanged in the morning, the Lankans were able to restrict the home team to a lead of 16 runs, although two catches went a begging.

With the Lankans having to put their heads down and get the Windies a formidable target for victory, what one saw was a batting effort by the early batsmen, that the least said the better.

Muralitheran finished with another 5 wicket haul.

It was his 63rd five wicket haul and the ninth time he has got five wicket against the Windies in 11 Tests. It was another amazing effort.

Samaraweera's century and his partnership with Vaas helped the Lankans and provided the oxygen when the innings was gasping for breath at 5 for 73 and then 6 for 99.

The early batting had breathed its last, owing to some irresponsible and insensible batting. This is how they surrendered.

Warnapura went for no score, hanging out his bat, to be caught at third slip by Chatergoon off Taylor - 2 for 1. Then Kumar Sangakkara forced Van Dort into committing hara kiri by going for a run that was not there.

The run out was inexplicable considering that there was no hurry for runs. Van Dort 1. 4 for 2.

Then Mahela Jayawardena dragged a ball on to his stumps off Edwards for 12. 32 for 4.

Sangakkara apparently unsettled by the running out of Van Dort holed out to Samuels in the gully off Powell for 14. 32 for 4.

Then a stand of 41 between Samaraweera and Dilshan took the score to 73 when Dilshan had his off stump sent cartwheeling by an off cutter from Taylor for 25 with 4 fours and a six - 5 for 73.

Samaraweera and Silva took the score to 99 when Silva went cutting a catch to Samuels in the gully off Taylor for 3. 99 for 6.

It then looked as though the Lankans would gift the Windies a victory on a platter and with two days remaining considering that the lead was only 83 and little batting remaining. It was then that Vaas, who had bowled his heart out in the morning, joined to rescue and reconstruct the innings that looked like collapsing.

The early batting could not cope with the pace blitz launched by the Windies pacemen.

Samaraweera played what would probably be his best innings in his career and one that he will always remember. From the time he arrived at the wicket, there was determination writ on his face and in Vaas he found an able and willing partner to take the Lankans out of the woods and give the team a chance of a win which at one time looked a distant dream.

Samaraweera and Vaas withstood the short pitched bowling and though being threatened and being struck stood up gallantly to steady the innings, take it to respectability and a target that the Windies will find hard to achieve.

Samaraweera cut, drove and hooked in style, while Vaas too put his head down and played an innings for the team.

After a stand of 138 which broke the record of 136 set up by Brian Lara and Omari Banks in 2003 at St. Lucia, Vaas was first to go edging Gayle to the wicket keeper for 45 great runs. 237 for 7.

Then Samaraweera's magnificent innings came to an end when going for a second run, he failed to beat the return from Samuels at third man. His 125 had 18 fours and was made off 199 balls.

Earlier Thilana Thushara touched a ball to Ramdin for 10. 252 for 8. Muralitheran hooked a Taylor deliver to fine leg Powell for 4 and the innings ended at 268. As it stands the Lankans are in with a chance. The fielders must support the bowlers.

Vaas and Muralitheran can give the Lankans a victory and a clean sweep that has never before happened to the Caribbean cricketers and its cricket. Queen's Park Oval, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, Saturday

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS 278 
(C. Silva 76; F. Edwards 4-84)

WEST INDIES 1ST INNINGS 
(overnight 268 for seven)

C. Gayle c Vandort b Thushara			45
S. Chattergoon b Vaas				46
R. Sarwan c Warnapura b Muralitharan		57
M. Samuels lbw b Muralitharan		 	 3
S. Chanderpaul lbw b Thushara			18
D.S. Smith b Muralitharan			47
D. Bravo lbw b Amerasinghe			26
D. Ramdin c Jayawardene b Muralitharan		13
J. Taylor lbw b Vaas				13
D. Powell lbw b Muralitharan			 3
F. Edwards not out				 1
Extras (lb5, w2, nb15)				22
TOTAL (all out;76.2 overs)			294
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-58 (Gayle), 2-137 (Chattergoon), 3-141 (Samuels),
		 4-177 (Sarwan), 5-199 (Chanderpaul), 6-246 (Bravo), 7-266 (D.S. Smith), 
		8-289 (Taylor), 9-291 (Ramdin).
BOWLING: Vaas 23-1-76-2 (nb8); Amerasinghe 12-1-62-1; Thushara 12-0-72-2 (nb5, w2); 
	Muralitharan 29.2-4-79-5 (nb2)

   SRI LANKA 2ND INNINGS

M. Vandort run out (Taylor)			 1
M. Warnapura c Chattergoon b Taylor		 0
K. Sangakkara c Samuels b Powell		14
M. Jayawardene b Edwards			12
T. Samaraweera run out (Samuels)	       125
T. Dilshan b Taylor				25
C. Silva c Samuels b Taylor			13
C. Vaas c Ramdin b Gayle			45
T. Thushara c Ramdin b Bravo			10
M. Muralitharan c Powell b Taylor		 4
I. Amerasinghe not out			 	 0
Extras (b1, lb10, w6, nb2)			19
TOTAL (all out; overs 75.1)			268
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-2 (Warnapura), 2-4 (Vandort), 3-32 (Jayawardene),
		 4-32 (Sangakkara), 5-73 (Dilshan), 6-99 (Silva), 7-237 (Vaas),
		 8-252 (Thushara), 9-268 (Samaraweera).
BOWLING: Powell 13-4-49-1 (w5); Taylor 15.1-1-52-4 (w1); Edwards 14-1-62-1 (nb2);
	 Bravo 19-5-64-1; Gayle 14-0-30-1.