Jayasuriya guides Lanka to victory

Sri Lanka came up with a superb all-round display to beat West Indies by 34 runs in the one-day triangular final on Wednesday.

The hosts made 253 for eight wickets in 50 overs before West Indies, chasing a revised target of 247 off 47 overs after rain had delayed the start of their innings, finished on 212 for seven.

Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya took the man-of-the-match award for his innings of 64 and two wickets.

West Indies began well, openers Daren Ganga (50) and Chris Gayle (60) putting on 111 for the first wicket off 148 balls.

But once Kumar Dharmasena had bowled Ganga with a straight ball which the batsman attempted to play across the line, the West Indies innings went into decline.

Ganga, who scored his fourth 50 in five innings in the tournament, faced 70 balls and hit one six and five fours.

Gayle fell to Jayasuriya for 60 off 87 balls with eight fours, and Sri Lanka grabbed three wickets for 13 runs off 28 balls as the spinners tightened the screw.

Only Carl Hooper came up with a notable contribution, making 34 off 37 balls as the asking rate rose to more than 12 runs an over.

Half-centuries by Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene helped Sri Lanka to a total of 253 for eight wickets, though at one stage they were well placed to make a bigger total, reaching 154 for three in the 30th over.

But three unnecessary run-outs within seven balls saw them struggle to get past the 250-run mark.

The eighth wicket fell at 232, and it was left to Muttiah Muralitharan to see Sri Lanka past that mark when he hit a full toss from Corey Collymore for six over long-on.

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Jayasuriya, who was also named man-of-the-series, went on to top-score with 64 off 85 balls, hitting one square driven six off Collymore and nine fours. He shared an opening partnership of 53 with Avishka Gunawardana (15) off nine overs before Hooper put a check on the scoring rate by snapping up the wickets of both openers.

Jayawardene kept the Sri Lanka scoreboard ticking over with some deft placements, scoring 63 off 65 balls with five fours before being run out.

Marvan Atapattu (38), who helped Jayawardene add 61 off 85 balls for the second wicket, was run out after hesitating over a single to backward point.

Russel Arnold was bowled by Pedro Collins without scoring, but Kumar Sangakkara hung around for a useful 23 runs, adding 58 off 83 balls with Jayawardene before pulling a catch to mid-wicket.

Chaminda Vaas and Upul Chandana followed in the same fashion and Jayawardene was run out trying to accelerate the scoring.

Hooper was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with figures of two for 32.

Mail Cricket Editor