West Indies batsman Dwayne Smith (right) hits a six as Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara watches during their triangular one-day series match at Rangiri Dambulu Cricket Stadium in Dambulla yesterday. Sri Lanka beat the West Indies by 50 runs after bowling them out for 191 in the third match of the series. - REUTERS
DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka, CMC:
THE WEST Indies again bowled and fielded with vigour, but their inexperienced batting failed to deliver for the second time as they conceded a 50-run defeat to hosts Sri Lanka in the third match of three-nation limited-overs international competition yesterday.
Chasing 242 to win, West Indies were dismissed for 191 in 45.1 overs, and slumped to their second straight defeat in the competition that also involves India.
Dwayne Smith enjoyed a bit of fortune to hit nine fours and two sixes in his highest limited-overs international score of 68 from 90 balls to lead the West Indies' batting before he was dismissed in the 44th over to kill any hopes of a comeback story.
The visitors never recovered from the hopeless position of 39 for five, as Farveez Maharoof was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers with the remarkable figures of 10-5-9-3 to earn the Man-of-the-Match award.
SUPPORT
He gained essential support from Dilhara Lokuhettige with two wickets for 30 runs from seven overs and Muttiah Muralitharan with two for 46 from 10 overs.
The West Indies had restricted Sri Lanka to 241 for six in their allocation of 50 overs, after the home team chose to bat on a hard, easy-paced Rangiri Stadium pitch in sunny conditions.
Left-hander Kumar Sangakkara led the way for Sri Lanka with 79 and was part of a resolute, century second-wicket stand with his captain Marvan Atapattu, who made 70.
Narsingh Deonarine was the most successful West Indies bowler with two for 55 from 10 overs. Set the highest target score for the competition to date, and given the challenge of batting under the lights, the West Indies were set back early when Maharoof bowled opening batsman and debutant Ryan Ramdass for one in the third over.
Fellow opener Xavier Marshall was caught behind in the seventh over for six off the same bowler and Sylvester Joseph was caught inside the long-leg boundary off Dilhara Lokuhettige to leave West Indies 21 for three after eight overs.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul joined Deonarine but the West Indies captain's modest form continued when he was dismissed for 14 in the 12th over, offering a return catch to Lokuhettige.
SCOREBOARD
DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka: The third Indian Oil Cup match between Sri Lanka and West Indies yesterday.
Sri Lanka innings
U. Tharanga lbw Butler 6
M. Atapattu run out 70
K. Sangakkara c Chanderpaul
b Deonarine 79
L. Dilhara st Ramdin b Deonarine 9
M. Jayawardene b D.R. Smith 16
T. Dilshan run out 4
R. Arnold not out 21
U. Chandana not out 15
Extras (b-6 lb-4 nb-4 w-7) 21
Total (for six wkts - 50 overs) 241
Fall: 1-11 2-149 3-171 4-191 5-194 6-205
Bowling: Butler 10-2-25-1 (nb-2 w-1), Lawson 10-1-63-0 (w-1), Best 10-1-39-0 (nb-2 w-2), D.R. Smith 9-1-39-1, Deonarine 10-0-55-2 (w-3), R. Powell 1-0-10-0
West Indies Innings
X. Marshall c Sangakkara b Maharoof 6
R. Ramdass b Maharoof 1
S. Joseph c Maharoof b Dilhara 9
N. Deonarine b Fernando 23
S. Chanderpaul c&b Dilhara 14
R. Powell b Maharoof 2
D. Smith b Muralitharan 68
D. Ramdin b Chandana 29
T. Best lbw Muralitharan 1
D. Butler not out 13
J. Lawson st Sangakkara b Dilshan 8
Extras (b-4 lb-4 nb-3 w-6) 17
Total (all out - 45.1 overs) 191
Fall: 1-4 2-18 3-21 4-36 5-39 6-75 7-121 8-128 9-177 10-191
Bowling: Maharoof 10-5-9-3 (w-1), Dilhara 7-0-30-2 (nb-1 w-1), Muralitharan 10-1-46-2 (w-1), Fernando 8-1-33-1 (nb-2 w-1), Chandana 10-0-65-1 (w-1), Dilshan 0.1-0-0-1.
Result: Sri Lanka won by 50 runs.
