Lankans reign supreme, beat West Indies

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting

Trent Bridge, Nottingham, Wednesday - A grand stand of 124 in 12.3 overs by Sanath Jayasuriya 81 and Tillakaratne Dilshan 74 took Sri Lanka to a 15 run victory over the West Indies in theIr Group C match of ICC World Cup Twenty20 game here, today.

In the absence of Chrys Gayle, the Lankan bowlers did well to keep the Windies to a score of 177 for 5.

The Lankans now move on to London and ‘Lords’ for their Super Eight matches starting with the first one against Pakistan on Friday. With this win the Lankans maintain an unbeaten record in this group.

The Sri Lankans motivated from their win over the mighty Australians on Monday, continued from where they left and asked to bat by the West Indies, hit back strongly to rattle up 192 for 5 in their Group C Twenty20 game at Trent Bridge, here today.

The Sri Lankans were sent on their way by a swashbuckling knock of 81 by the dasher Sanath Jayasuriya who hit lustily and with a vengeance.His 81 came in 47 deliveries with 10 crashing fours and 2 demoralising sixes.

Jayasuriya made amends for his failure in the first game and this innings should give him the necessary motivation to continue scoring and take Sri Lanka to their goal, the final and the Twenty20 trophy.

It was an innings that was enjoyed by the large gathering of spectators, especially the Lion flag waving Sri Lankans who were jumping out of their seats yelling for more sixes and fours from the left hander. He looked well set for a three figure score, but playing the reverse stroke too often, he missed a straight one from Lendl Simmons and was LBW.

Together with the consistent Tillakeratne Dilshan, Jayasuriya put on a century stand 124 with the 100 of the partnership coming in 60 balls.

Dilshan who got a fifty in the game against the Aussies, made another assuring half century - 74 in 47 balls with 11 fours and a six.

He is striking beautifully and it is essential that he continues in the same form.

Kumar Sangakkara 5, Mahela Jayawardena 4, Chamara Silva 7 all failed with Jehan Mubarak 8 and Angelo Mathews remaining unbeaten when the innings ended.

Medium pacer Lendl Simmons who was bowling wicket to wicket with good variation finished with the grand figures of 4 for 19 in 3.

The West Indian fielding, especially the ground was horrible and the least said the better.

Without the mauler Chrys Gayle giving this not so important game a miss, the Windies batting should not prove that threatening if the Lankans field, bowl well and take their chances.

SCORECARD

		SRI LANKA

S. Jayasuriya lbw b Simmons		 81
T. Dilshan c Benn b Simmons		 74
K. Sangakkara c Fletcher b Simmons	 05
M. Jayawardene c Ramdin b Simmons	 04
C. Silva c Ramdin b Taylor		 07
J. Mubarak not out			 08
A. Mathew not out			 03
Extras: (lb5, w4, nb1) 			 10
TOTAL (for 5 wkts)			192

Fall of wickets: 1-124, 2-147, 3-168, 4-172, 5-189 

Bowling: Taylor 4-0-32-1 (nb1), Edwards 2-0-37-0, Bravo 4-0-29-0 (w3), 
		Benn 4-0-25-0, Pollard 3-0-45-0 (w1), Simmons 3-0-19-4.
	
				WEST INDIES

L. Simmons c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 	 29
A. Fletcher b Malinga 				 13
X. Marshall c Silva b Mendis 			 14
S. Chanderpaul b Mendis 			 01
R. Sarwan not out 				 28
D. Bravo c Mubarak b Malinga 			 51
K. Pollard not out 				 19
Extras: (lb4, w17, nb1) 	 		 22
TOTAL (for 5 wkts) 				177

Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-70, 3-71, 4-73, 5-150.

Bowling: Jayasuriya 3-0-34-0, Malinga 4-0-45-2, Udana 4-0-36-0, Mendis 
	 4-0-25-2, Muralitharan 4-0-21-1, Mathew 1-0-12-0.