The Hindu : Sport : Sri Lanka scores a crushing win

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 23, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport

Sri Lanka scores a crushing win

S. Ram Mahesh

Bangladesh done in by a standout performance from the former champion

— Photo: AP

OVER THE MOON: Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga is ecstatic after dismissing Tamim Iqbal at the Queen's Park Oval.

Port of Spain: Sri Lanka's 198-run win (Duckworth-Lewis method) over Bangladesh here at the Queen's Park Oval on Wednesday had all the ingredients of a standout performance: skill and tactical nous with the bat; control and variety with the ball; intensity and athleticism in the field.

Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga ensured Bangladesh wasn't allowed early control. Jayasuriya, in particular, attacked to force Habibul Bashar into damage-control mode before he retired hurt. Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, and a rehabilitated Jayasuriya consolidated the advantage.

Once Sri Lanka reached 318, Bangladesh's chances hinged on a couple of game-breaking innings at the top the kind Tamim Iqbal played against India and steadying, astute partnerships through the middle. Neither was forthcoming, for Sri Lanka's bowlers stamped out anything that seemed even mildly threatening.

"If this performance doesn't give us confidence, nothing will," said Sri Lanka captain Jayawardene. "We focussed on our strengths rather than worried about what other sides were doing."

Rare clarity

Jayawardene has a rare clarity of thought one of many reasons he is an outstanding captain. This trait was evident in his summary of the match: "We knew they had just five bowlers. We didn't want to give them early wickets because then these five become seven. If you can keep wickets in hand, these five become four.

"They have a set pattern, and we disturbed this pattern. We kept asking questions of them, `Do you have the variety in bowling to do this?' We always knew we had the batsmen to turn over the strike in the middle overs.

Once Sanath (Jayasuriya) and Upul (Tharanga) played out 14 overs for nearly 100, we could enjoy ourselves. Again when they came out to bat, the inexperience showed. They weren't sure which strategy to adopt."

Mushfiqur impresses

After Chaminda Vaas trapped Shahriar Nafees on the hop, Lasith Malinga proved too quick for Iqbal and Aftab Ahmed. Mushfiqur Rahim impressed again. He may have made just 6, but rarely in his 33 balls at the crease was he not in control. He seemed to have time to get behind Malinga and keep him down. His judgement of Vaas's movement was admirable.

Muttiah Muralitharan could have had a five-for. His doosras from around the wicket prompted frequent appeals for leg-before-wicket, many of which, according to Hawk Eye, were out. But, he had to make do with just one wicket. Saqibul Hasan going the way wiser, more accomplished left-handers have, making room to cut a doosra and finding the stumps disturbed.

The capable Mohammad Ashraful and the infuriating rain combined to keep the Sri Lankans in the field longer than they would have cared, but there was never any doubt about the outcome.

"Nothing went right, it was a sad, sorry match for us," said a visibly dejected Bashar. "They played very well. This will puncture the confidence just a bit. But, it shouldn't affect us too much."

Jayawardene was generous in his assessment of Bangladesh. "I think we played very well; it wasn't surrender from them. We forced it. But, they have a lot of talent, and they will learn from this defeat."

Jayasuriya's 109 was his 24th century. Only Sachin Tendulkar has more ODI centuries. "It did a bit early, so I was happy I could play that out," said Jayasuriya.

"I'm not too worried about how many hundreds I make. They should help the team win."

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga c Aftab b Rafique 26, S. Jayasuriya c Bashar b Razzak 109, M. Jayawardene c Aftab b Hasan 46, K. Sangakkara c Tamim b Rasel 56, C. Silva (not out) 52, R. Arnold (not out) 5, Extras (lb-11, nb-3, w-10) 24; Total (for four wkts. in 50 overs) 318.

Fall of wickets: 1-98, 2-202, 3-261, 4-300.

Bangladesh bowling: Mortaza 10-0-66-0, Rasel 10-0-58-1, Razzak 10-0-86-1, Rafique 10-0-48-1, Hasan 10-0-49-1.

Bangladesh: T. Iqbal c Sangakkara b Malinga 6, S. Nafees lbw b Vaas 0, M. Rahim c Dilshan b Maharoof 6, A. Ahmed c Jayasuriya b Malinga 12, S. Hasan b Muralitharan 4, H. Bashar (run out) 18, M. Ashraful (not out) 45, M. Mortaza c Tharanga b Arnold 7, M. Rafique c Maharoof b Dilshan 7, A. Razzak c Sangakkara b Malinga 0, S. Rasel (run out) 0, Extras (lb-2, nb-1, w-4) 7; Total (in 37 overs) 112.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-7, 3-20, 4-26, 5-41, 6-66, 7-80, 8-101, 9-111.

Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 7-4-11-1, Malinga 6-0-27-3, Maharoof 7-1-26-1, Muralitharan 9-0-15-1, Jayasuriya 1.5-0-2-0, Arnold 3.1-0-17-1, Dilshan 3-0-12-1.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport