Jayawardene routs WI
Sunday, 9 May 2010
BRIDGETOWN, May 8 (Cricinfo): Sri Lanka wrapped up a crushing 57-run win over a disappointingly lacklustre West Indies in Barbados after Mahela Jayawardene's sublime unbeaten 98 from 56 balls took them to 195 for 3.
Jayawardene took full toll of a shambolic West Indian fielding performance in a 166-run partnership for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara - the highest of the tournament so far - and when Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle fell early in West Indies' chase, the fight went from their batsmen.
The inept West Indian batting was merely a continuance of their fielding effort, as the rot set in when five straightforward chances went down to allow Sri Lanka to take their score into the stratosphere.
Jayawardene, whose superb form carried his side into the Super Eights, displayed silky touch and superb manipulation of the bowling in his innings, and Sangakkara, while not quite in Jayawardene's league at the moment, matched him almost shot for shot.
Jerome Taylor, on his return to international cricket after a six-month lay-off, should have had Sanath Jayasuriya, opening in place of the wretchedly out-of-form Tillekaratne Dilshan, caught by Kieron Pollard at backward point from his second ball.
20 overs Sri Lanka 195 for 3 (Jayawardene 98*, Sangakkara 68) beat West Indies 138 for 8 by 57 runs.
Jayawardene took full toll of a shambolic West Indian fielding performance in a 166-run partnership for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara - the highest of the tournament so far - and when Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle fell early in West Indies' chase, the fight went from their batsmen.
The inept West Indian batting was merely a continuance of their fielding effort, as the rot set in when five straightforward chances went down to allow Sri Lanka to take their score into the stratosphere.
Jayawardene, whose superb form carried his side into the Super Eights, displayed silky touch and superb manipulation of the bowling in his innings, and Sangakkara, while not quite in Jayawardene's league at the moment, matched him almost shot for shot.
Jerome Taylor, on his return to international cricket after a six-month lay-off, should have had Sanath Jayasuriya, opening in place of the wretchedly out-of-form Tillekaratne Dilshan, caught by Kieron Pollard at backward point from his second ball.
20 overs Sri Lanka 195 for 3 (Jayawardene 98*, Sangakkara 68) beat West Indies 138 for 8 by 57 runs.