Lasith Malinga powers http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kenya-c752 at Colombo
A dazzling bowling performance by pace spearhead, Lasith Malinga, was enough to dismantle the Kenyans in a group A match of the World Cup played at the Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
The Sri Lankans were all over the Kenyans as they dismissed them for a paltry 142 in 43.4 overs and romped home with ease scoring 146/1 in only 18.4 overs.
The Kenyans, who faced two humiliating defeats in their first two games against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 were once again on the back foot from the outset. The opening two batsmen were sent packing cheaply.
Serene Waters and his partner Maurice Ouma were asked to face up to the challenge of the Sri Lankan new ball pairing of Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara. They seemed clueless as they found the searing pace and movement impossible to handle.
The two Obuyas, Colin and David brought their team back in the game for a brief while. They added 94 runs in a painstakingly slow partnership yet made full use of some loose balls at the same time.
The two crossed the fifty-mark and were sent packing soon afterwards. From there on in it was all Malinga. The right armer with a pronounced sling in his action tore through the rest of the batting line-up claiming a magnificent hat-trick. He finished with 6 wickets conceding 38 runs in 7.4 overs.
The Sri Lankan reply was impressive, Upul Tharanga, and, Tilikaratne Dilshan, who added 76 in the loss against Pakistan added 72 in a breezy stand. The first and only man dismissed in the innings was Dilshan, who edged the ball through to wicket keeper Ouma off the bowling of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Elijah-Otieno-c55866.
He scored 44 runs off only 30 balls. His innings was studded with 8 fours, after his demise Tharanga carried the attack taking the score past the 100 run mark.
Soon after the win was achieved, Tharanga remained unbeaten on 67 runs off 59 balls. His innings was studded with 12 fours.
On the other hand, the Sri Lankan captain, Kumar Sangakkara, remained unbeaten on 27 off 24 balls.
Malinga was named man of the match. The hosts would now face http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in their next match at the same venue.
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