da brwin： Sri Lanka returned to form with an emphatic victory over West Indies A atHove as they prepare for the start of the one-day series
Sean Beynon20-Jun-2002Sri Lanka returned to form with an emphatic victory over West Indies A atHove as they prepare for the start of the one-day series. Though thegame was billed as a day/nighter, Sussex saved on their electricity,with the sun still present as the winning runs were hit.The Sri Lankans may have been entitled to have felt jaded after Monday’ssnatch and grab by England at Old Trafford. But it was the West Indies team,who landed not a week ago, who looked the weary tourists.Charitha Buddika (4-30) and Upul Chandana (3-7) were the destroyers, as WestIndies mustered just 77 after choosing to bat. Five batsman scored ducks, asBuddika’s movement, then Chandana’s turn bamboozled batsman after batsman.Devon Smith’s duck set the tone, while Donovan Pagon fell victim to poorrunning, and Dwayne Bravo was trapped in front to leave the West Indies reelingon 27 for three.Daren Ganga and Runako Morton tried in vain to keep the innings together,Ganga falling for ten. Morton made a patient 20 before becoming he wasadjudged leg before. Wickets continued to tumble through poor running andgenerous umpiring, the Caribbean’s second team losing their last fourwickets for four runs.Dihan Gunawardene had his woodwork rearranged by the always impressiveMarlon Black as Sri Lanka got off to the worst possible start. Such a targetwas never going to pose a serious threat however, and Sanath Jayasuria (23 not out) and Kumar Sangakarra (35) punished already beaten bowlers. Jayasuria lofted a couple of impressive sixes, while Sangakarra’s knock was classy. Asidefrom a first-ball duck for Mahela Jayawardene, the reply ran smoothly, withSri Lanka using just 13 of their 50 overs to ease to victory.