Rain the winner in final ODI

Windies win Series 2-0:

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE from the West Indies

Persistent showers forced the abandonment of the third and final Digicel one-day international between West Indies and Sri Lanka under lights at the Beausejour stadium in St. Lucia, here today.

After Sri Lanka recovered to make 257 for 8 in 50 overs, and with the West Indies on 81 for 2 in 18.2 overs, the game was set for an interesting finish.

In a rain shortened game, usually Duckworth and Lewis are called to play. But in this instance, the showers that continued saw to it that Duckworth and Lewis are not troubled.

Batsmen at the wicket were Ramnaresh Sarwan on 13 and Marlon Samuels on 3, after the home team lost Runako Morton for 17 and Shivnarine Chattergoon for a breezy 46 with 5 fours and a six.

In addition to the rain, the draining system at this stadium series is not what it should be. Thus the Windies win the 3 match series 2-nil.

The Lankans were in with a chance of registering their first win after losing the earlier two. But the rains came to deprive them of a well deserved victory and they thus say goodbye to the Caribbean having drawn the Test series one-all and losing the one-day series.

All in all it was an interesting Test and one-day series with the Lankans registering their first test win in the Caribbean.

Sri Lanka made one change leaving out Upul Tharanga and bringing in Thilana Thusara to strengthen the bowling. West Indies made two changes tossing in Nieron Pollard and Runako Morton for Fidel Edwards and the Lankan tormentor ‘Tiger’ Chanderpaul was declared unfit.

The ground looked a picture when the captains walked out to toss and Mahela Jayawardena had the mortification of losing his straight fourth toss with Gayle having a wry smile and asking the Lankans in again.

The Lankans tinkered with their batting sending Kumar Sangakkara to face the new ball with Mahela Udawatte. Disaster struck early when Sangakkara who has been in poor form got a leading edge to the first ball bowled by Darren Powell in the second over and holed out to Sammy for 1 with the score on one.

As the game progressed it was apparent that the wicket was a flat one and would not be conducive to stroke play. Mahela Jayawardena who came in one drop, seemed to be settling in for a big score when an intended was brilliantly held by Powell pull at short fine leg for 17.

Then Chamara Silva went caught down leg side by Ramdin off Powell and the score read a poor 44 for three. Jayawardena was out to Dwaynne Bravo.

Then determined batting by the batsmen who followed - Chamara Kapugedera, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Kaushalaya Weeraratne, propped by opener Mahela Udawatte who registered his first half century in one-day cricket to the Lankans to a respectable and formidable 257 for 8, which total did not look a possibility at one stage.

Udawatte 73 in 121 balls, Dilshan 64 with his 50 coming in 46 balls and Weeraratne 41 off 33 balls contributed lavishly. There were stands of 84 for the 4th wicket between Udawatte and Chamara Kapugedera 40, Udawatte and Dilshan 44 for the 5th wicket and 79 for the 6th wicket between Dilshan and Weeraratne.

It was an excellent recovery that brought the Lankans back into the game and one from which they should be able to post a victory and stay away from conceding a clean sweep to the West Indies.

The wickets were shared by the Windies bowlers Taylor, Powell, Bravo and Gayle.