http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Netherlands-c753
SRI 351/5 50 overs NED 195 all out 47.3 overs
Sri Lanka has underlined its potential with a crushing win over the Netherlands in the opening warm up match for the 2011 ICC World Cup, set to start on the 19th of this month.
The 1996 champions were in full flight against the minnows of international cricket, drubbing them by 156 runs at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, as rain finally relented at the venue.
The Sri Lankans would be pleased by the outing as all their leading batsmen looked in good touch and helped amass a total of 351 with a combined effort.
The batsmen were all in top gear as they went after the hapless Europeans, who are in for a tough baptism of fire in the month and a half long tournament.
Openers, Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan, flayed 117 runs off only 17.2 overs. Tharanga failed to post his half century, falling for 47 runs to Pieter Seelar.
Dilshan was dismissed by spinner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adeel-Raja-c928, for 78 runs scored off the same number of balls, his innings included 12 fours.
Thilan Samaraweera eased his way to 60 not out before retiring in a bid to give the other batters an opportunity of getting some useful batting time.
The Sri Lankans made the most of the conditions and hardly looked perturbed on a good wicket taking the score past the 350 runs mark. The innings ended with the total of 351/5 in the allotted overs.
Chamara Silva and Chamara Kapugedera both scored 50’s as they bolstered their confidence before the start of the actual tournament.
Mudassar Bukhari with two wickets was the best bowler from the Netherlands team.
The visitors started their chase on a poor note, they lost the first four wickets for only 37 runs.
The innings recovered slightly with fine knocks by Bas Zudiernet and Tom De Groth. Groth was top scorer for his team posting a fighting 76 off 96 balls, his innings included 10 fours and 1 six.
The Europeans folded for 195 runs handing a convincing win to the Sri Lankans. The bowlers also had a good outing, with Dilhara Fernando taking 4 wickets for 43 runs.
The Sri Lankans are placed in pool A, while the Dutch are in pool B of the World Cup.
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