Windies in a Caribbean cruise to victory
Elmo RODRIGOPULLE from the West Indies
In a game where rain played the role of spoil sport, West Indies
cruised to victory by seven wickets in a 25-over game against Sri Lanka
in the Second Digicel One-day International at the Queen’s Park Oval,
here in Trinidad on Saturday.
The game was originally scheduled for 50 overs. But after two
stoppages due to heavy ran, the twins who get together when rain messes
it up - Duckworth and Lewis got into action, reduced the game to 25
overs and asked the Windies to make 125 in 25 overs for a victory.
The Windies rowed cleverly by Shivanarine Chanderpaul and Marlon
Samuels unbeaten on 52 and 54 respectively pouched the game and the
series without raising a sweat.
Chanderpaul was once again in rip roaring form smashing three fours
and two sixes in a 40-ball 50, while Samuels struck form at the right
time to dazzle with 3 fours and 3 sixes in his 50.
With the Windies Jelly-kneed at 18 for 3 in the 6th over the two some
conjoined to blast a fourth wicket partnership of 107 in 88 balls and 68
minutes. The victory for the home team came with 4.3 overs to spare.
The hard working paceman Nuwan Kulasekera, using the overcast
conditions to make the ball wobble about, knocked the sails off the
early Windies batting by sending back Chrys Gayle for 11, Dwaynne Bravo
for 2 and having the heavy scoring Ramnaresh Sarwan LBW for 1 to have
the ultimate victors struggling at 18 for 3.
But some savage hitting by Chanderpaul and Samuels allayed the
Windies fears and when Samuels pushed a single all hell broke loose as
the Windies supporters who had packed the Oval broke into song and dance
celebrating the one-day series triumph.
Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardena was once again unfortunate with the
toss and was invited to bat in overcast conditions that was helpful to
the Windies, who had dropped spinner Sulieman Benn and plonked in Darren
Powell.
The Windies also brought in Denesh Ramdin the regular wicket keeper
and also Sivnarine Chattergoon, dropping Patrick Browne and Devon Smith.
Sri Lanka went for all rounder Kaushalaya Weeraratne and benched
Ishara Amerasinghe.
With the Windies speedsters Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor, Dwaynee
Bravo and Darrne Sammy being spot on, it was always a struggle for the
Lankan early batting in conditions that were conducive to seam and swing
and impossible for striking.
However Upul Tharanga 40 and Kumar Sangakkara 28 stuck it out
gallantly, although losing Mahela Udawatte for 14, Weeraratne promoted
in the batting in an endeavour for quick runs and Chamara Silva for 2
and made 112 for 5 in 30.3 overs which was slow going when the rains
came to stunt their innings. Trundler Gayle returned the best figures of
2 for 5 in 1.3 overs. Once the game was truncated due to rain it took
away the game.
SCORECARD
SRI LANKA INNINGS
W. U. Tharanga c Taylor b Bravo 40
M. L. Udawatte c Chattergoon b Taylor 14
K. C. Sangakkarac Sarwan b Gayle 28
K. Weeraratne c Bravo b Sammy 15
D. P. M. D. Jayawardenenot out 4
L. P. C. Silva b Gayle 2
Extras: (lb 8, w 1) 9
TOTAL (5 wickets, 30.3 overs) 112
Did not bat: T. M. Dilshan, C. K. Kapugedera, W. P. U. J. C. Vaas,
B. A. W. Mendis, K. M. D. N. Kulasekera.
Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-78, 3-105, 4-109, 5-112.
Bowling: J. E. Taylor 6-2-10-1, F. H. Edwards 5-0-26-0,
D. B. L. Powell 7-0-21-0, D. J. Bravo 6-0-16-1,
D. J. G. Sammy 5-0-25-1, C. H. Gayle 1.3-0-6-2.
WEST INDIES INNINGS
C. H. Gayle c Weeraratne b Kulasekara 11
D. J. Bravo b Kulasekara 2
R. R. Sarwan lbw b Kulasekara 1
S. Chanderpaul not out 52
M. N. Samuels not out 54
Extras: (lb 3, w 2) 5
Total(3 wickets, 20.3 over) 125
Did not bat: S. Chattergoon, D. Ramdin, D. J. G. Sammy,
J. E. Taylor, F. H. Edwards, D. B. L. Powell.
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-15, 3-18.
Bowling: W. P. U. J. C. Vaas 4-0-21-0, K. M. D. N. Kulasekara 5-0-28-3,
K. Weeraratne 3-0-24-0, B. A. W. Mendis 4-0-21-0,
C. K. Kapugedera 4-0-25-0, T. M. Dilshan 0.3-0-3-0.
Series: West Indies lead the 3-match series 2-0. |
