West Indies outclassed by Sri Lanka
By Sean Devers
Kaieteur News
April 2, 2007
West Indies were outclassed by Sri Lanka at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence yesterday leaving them now needing to win their three remaining Super Eight games to force their way into the semi-finals of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
Watched by the largest crowd of the competition in overcast conditions, West Indies set 304, their highest total to win a One Day International, were bowled out for 190 in 44.3 overs to lose by 113 runs.
Man-of-the-match Sanath Jayasuriya blasted four sixes and ten fours from 101 balls in a vintage display of vicious hitting in a commanding 115, while skipper Mahela Jayawardene stroked two fours and a six in his responsible 113-ball 82 as the pair posted 183 for the third wicket. Guyanese Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who hit a four and five sixes in a 110-ball 76 and countryman Ramnaresh Sarwan, whose 44 included a six and a four and lasted 68 balls, added 92 for the fourth wicket in 33 overs. They joined forces with their team on the ropes at 42-3 when skipper Brian Lara was stumped by Kumar Sangakkara off left-arm pacer Chaminda Vass for two in the 11th over.
However, they struggled to get the ball away and by the time the pair finally decided to try and increase the scoring Sarwan was well stumped off left-arm spinner Jayasuriya at 134-4 in the 35th over to effectively stall the West Indies progress.
Asked to bat first in a game which began 45 minutes late due to rain, Sri Lanka slipped to 35-2 after Upul Tharanga (8) had his stumps scattered by the impressive Daren Powell at 18-1 while Ian Bradshaw induced Sangakkara (7) to edge a catch to the keeper to the delight of a colorful and raucous crowd of 12, 208 excited fans.
Lara complained about the disappointing crowd in Antigua but yesterday he would have been delighted with the support in Guyana . That his team let a good start slip from their grasp and never got back into the contest was a huge disappointment for the dancing, flag waving spectators.
After a few anxious moments on a slow track with some early bounce, Jayasuriya and Jayawardene silenced the crowd with audacious stroke play. After the first 50 took 15 overs, Jayasuriya suddenly cut lose with vintage brutality, smashing Dwayne Smith for three scorching fours and an imperial straight six in an over which cost 18 runs.
He reached his fifty from 47 balls with seven fours and a six before progressing to his 25th ODI ton and second in tournament from just 80 balls, with nine fours and four sixes and his brutal onslaught knocked the enthusiasm out of the home side.
West Indies appeared very ‘flat' in the field although the fans, showing off their Mexican waves and looking for the first time in the competition like a true West Indian crowd, tried their best to urge them on.
Powell in his second spell bowled Jayasuriya at 218-4 before Jayawardene's supporting innings of 82, his 36th ODI fifty, ended when he was bowled by Dwayne Bravo at 251-4 with five overs remaining in the innings.
Chamara Silva hit a 31-ball 23 before he was removed by leg-spinner Ramnaresh Sarwan, while Tillakaratne Dilshan, who clobbered the last ball of the innings bowled by Bravo for a huge six, finished unbeaten on 39 decorated with two sixes and two fours as the West Indies conceded their second 300 plus total in this competition.
Powell, the home team's leading bowler, took 2-38 from 10 overs to move to 11 wickets in the tournament but a generally lack luster performance in the field left the West Indies under pressure to win their first in Super Eight stage of the competition.
In the end, the pedestrian scoring from Chanderpaul and Sarwan was too little too late for the hosts as Jayasuriya's left-arm spin earned him 3-38, while Muttiah Muralitharan, struck for four sixes by Chanderpaul, finished with 2-59. Chaminda Vass collected 2-19 while Lasith Malinga became the competition's leading wicket taker by snatching 2-34 to move to 13 wickets.
Chris Gayle (10) skied a catch off Malinga to mid-off at 20-1, and Dwayne Bravo, opening the batting for the first time at this level, was bowled by Vass for 21. Lara was removed to push the West Indies on the ropes.
They never recovered after Sarwan departed. Marlon Samuels (3), Dwayne Smith (0) and Denesh Ramdin (2) all perished in quick succession before Chanderpaul, who reached his 45th ODI half-century with a four and three sixes from 94 balls was bowled by Malinga in the 41st over with the score on 173-8.
Sri Lanka move to four points from two matches, while West Indies remained on two from their three consecutive defeats. They have a nine-day rest before facing South Africa in their next game in Grenada .
Sri Lanka take on England on Wednesday in Antigua in their next outing.