Sri Lanka trounce West Indies to take unassailable 1-0 lead in three match ODI series
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 199/2 42.3 overs
Sri Lanka has scored a convincing 8 wickets win over the West Indies in the second game of the three match series played at the Sinhalese cricket club ground in Colombo.
The hosts won the toss and opted to bat first in tricky conditions, at the venue where seam bowlers were expected to reign supreme after the first match was rained off mid-way.
The team from the Caribbean got off to a good start yet was pegged back with the fall of the two openers back to back. First match centurion http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adrian-Barath-c42094 was sent packing by Nuwan Kulasekara for 12 runs while the left handed Chris Gayle was caught by Thilan
Samaraweera off http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Muttiah-Muralitharan-c78157 for 28 runs scored off 30 balls.
Ramnaresh Sarwan was run out for 21 runs while Dwayne Bravo was sent packing by Rangana Herath for 39 runs which was the joint top score for the tourists; his brother Darren Bravo also scored 39 runs.
The junior Bravo, Darren was dismissed by pacer Lasith Malinga who trapped him lbw after an innings that was compiled off 64 balls and was peppered with three fours.
Kieron Pollard was bowled by Malinga for 4 runs off 9 balls; his was the fifth wicket to fall.
The tourists were relying on their tail for some runs at the end of the innings, yet it did not happen the desired way for them as they folded for 203 runs on the last ball of their innings.
The Sri Lankan chase got off to a tricky start, the consistent opening batsman, Tillakaratne Dilshan, was dismissed by Ravi Rampaul for 12 runs, wicket-keeper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Carlton-Baugh-c49264 took a clean catch behind the stumps.
Kumar Sangakkara joined Upul Tharanga for a 70-run partnership for the second wicket. The Sri Lankan captain fell for 20 runs; he was sent packing by Dwayne Bravo with Chris Gayle taking the catch.
Tharanga was in fine form at the other end and, once joined by former captain Mahela Jayawardene, the two cruised towards a comfortable win.
Jayawardene was not out on 48 when the hosts overhauled the target, Tharanga remained unbeaten on 101, scored off 143 balls; his innings included 7 fours.
The third and final match of the series would be played at the same venue on the 6th of February, 2011.
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