The Hindu : Sport : Windies suffers ignominious defeat

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Sunday, Oct 15, 2006
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Windies suffers ignominious defeat

G. Viswanath

PHOTO: K.R. DEEPAK

DEADLY: Farveez Maharoof was in superb form at the Brabourne Stadium on Saturday, and Marlon Samuels had no clue to this one from him.

Mumbai: The Brain Lara-led West Indies was routed at the Brabourne Stadium on Saturday, and the Caribbean pride in cricket was pricked. A crushing defeat in the last Champions Trophy qualifier loomed as sson as Chaminda Vaas struck vital blows in his tight and clever opening burst in sweltering conditions. The left-arm seamer curtailed the run-scoring machine Chris Gayle's occupancy of the crease to seven minutes (five balls), and finally caused his downfall with a beauty for a duck.

The next delivery to Ramnaresh Sarwan, the versatile bowler growled in the middle of the pitch for a positive verdict from umpire Asad Rauf. The appeal was turned down and the batsman stayed. Torment, though, was not far for the Guyanese when Vaas trapped him plumb in front. It was superb bowling all the way by Vaas, rocking the West Indies boat without wasting time. After Vaas had played his part, Farveez Maharoof stuck to the basics, and appeared to demand scalps of almost every ball he sent down. He walked off the field with dream figures of 9-2-14-6.

Remarkable show

It was a remarkable bowling performance by the Sri Lankans. For a change, Shivnarine Chanderpaul was quick to switch gears from his normal watchful and sedate start, smartly flicking two on-side boundaries off Lasith Malinga. The Sri Lankan fast bowler, with a prominent slinging action, however, got one to deviate off the seam and evoked a defensive edge from Chanderpaul. At 13 for three by the 19th ball, the West Indies innings was in doldrums. Prospect of a sizeable total was soon dispelled with Maharoof introduced into the attack after Vaas completed a 6-2-6-2 opening spell.

Brian Lara looked determined, while Wavell Hinds spent a few overs playing forward defensive shots. Generally the ball kept low with Kumar Sangakkara collecting at ankle height. Maharoof, one among the Lankans with excellent record in limited-overs cricket, sustained the pressure, not giving width to cut or pull. Lara survived two confident appeals for leg before, but while trying to play Maharoof, missed it and was caught in front.

Things simply did not fall in place for the West Indies looking for someone to offer support to Hinds. But after Dwayne Bravo played a rank-bad shot and gifted his wicket, none was resolute enough in the middle or lower order. They too fell cheaply, leaving a beaming Maharoof, who kissed the Brabourne turf after taking his fifth wicket.

The Sri Lankan reply commenced with Upul Tharanga touching a wide delivery from Fidel Edwards to drag it on to his stumps. Having recovered from a viral infection, Edwards had the satisfaction of getting rid of the century maker in the previous two innings at Mohali and Motera. Zero for one after the first ball, however, did not turn out to be ominous for the Lankans as Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene batted with panache.

Sri Lanka will join South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan and will take on Pakistan at Jaipur next Tuesday. The West Indies would look back on Saturday's match as a debacle, shot out for 80, its lowest against Sri Lanka.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies: C. Gayle c Sangakkara b Vaas 0, S. Chanderpaul c Sangakkara b Malinga 8, R. Sarawan lbw b Vaas 0, B. Lara lbw b Maharoof 13, W. Hinds c Jayasuriya b Maharoof 28, D. Bravo lbw b Maharoof 0, M. Samuels b Maharoof 1, D. Smith c Muralitharan b Maharoof 0, C. Baugh, lbw b Maharoof 1, F. Edwards b Malinga 4, C. Collymore (not out) 8, Extras (lb-5, nb-10, w-2) 17; Total (in 30.4 overs) 80.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-12, 3-13,4-51, 5-55, 6-58, 7-58, 8-64, 9-67.

Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 6-2-6-2, Malinga 5.4-0-26-2, Fernando 5-0-15-0, Maharoof 9-2-14-6, Muralitharan 5-0-14-0.

Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga b Edwards 0, S. Jayasuriya (not out) 45, M. Jayawardene (not out) 34, Extras (nb-3, w-1) 4 Total (for one wkt, in 13.2 overs) 83.

Fall of wicket: 1-0.

West Indies bowling: Edwards 4-0-17-1, Collymore 5-0-21-0, Smith 3-0-29-0, Samuels 1.2-0-16-0.

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