GEORGETOWN: Sanath Jayasuriya clubbed a vintage hundred and Sri Lanka all but ended the West Indies's World Cup semifinal hopes with a 113-run Super Eight win on Sunday.

Jayasuriya's 115 from 101 balls and his 183-run third-wicket partnership with skipper Mahela Jayawardene (82) set up Sri Lanka's imposing 303 for five.

Early setbacks

The West Indies had never chased more than 300 to win an ODI and its chances this time were scuppered when Brian Lara was stumped for two to make the total 42 for three in the 11th over.

The host was dismissed for 190 in 44.3 overs, with Jayasuriya taking three for 38 in 8.3 overs. The veteran campaigner was voted Man of the Match for his all-round effort.

SMART WORK: Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara whips off the bails in a flash to terminate West Indian skipper Brian Lara's stay in their Super Eight match on Sunday. — Photo: AFP

Only Shivnarine Chanderpaul (76) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (44) offered any decent resistance, albeit at a slow run-rate.

With heavy losses to Australia, New Zealand and now Sri Lanka, West Indies' semifinal prospects rely on it winning its next three matches and results of other matches falling its way.

After a promising start, having Sri Lanka in trouble at 35 for two in the ninth over, the West Indies' fielding deteriorated, the extras mounted up and the batting failed again.

Guyana's National Stadium, purpose-built for the first World Cup in the Caribbean, was almost full after disappointingly small crowds at previous matches.

The 12,208-strong crowd was hushed by Jayasuriya's 25th hundred in one-day internationals, and almost silenced during the West Indies' reply.

Lasith Malinga had Chris Gayle (10) out misjudging a slower ball to Dilhara Fernando at mid-on with the total at 20. Makeshift opener Dwayne Bravo scored 21 before he played on to a ball from Chaminda Vaas.

Smart stumping

Kumar Sangakkara's sharp stumping, standing up to the left-arm seamer Vaas, caught Lara out with his back foot hovering over the crease.

The required run-rate soared above 10 with Chanderpaul and Sarwan inching along against the slow bowlers — with 102 balls between boundaries until Chanderpaul's slashing four against Fernando in the 25th over.

The 92-run fourth-wicket stand ended when Sangakkara stumped Sarwan (44) off Jayasuriya's bowling in the 33rd over.

Chanderpaul brought up his 50 from 94 balls with a six over mid-wicket off Muttiah Muralitharan during a stage when the West Indies lost its last seven wickets for 56 runs.

He hit his fifth six of the 110-ball innings, lofting Malinga behind square, before he was yorked on the next ball.

Malinga's second wicket made him the leading bowler so far in the tournament with 13.

Jayasuriya's innings was a contrast to Chanderpaul's. After a cautious start, the veteran Sri Lankan reached his 100 from 86 balls.

Beating Inzamam

His 18 runs off the 18th over took him past Pakistan batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq to No. 2 in the list of most prolific batsmen in ODIs, behind only India's Sachin Tendulkar.

Jayasuriya, one of four survivors of Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup winning team, now has 11,816 and Tendulkar has 14,847. Both have played 384 matches. — AP

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga b Powell 8, S. Jayasuriya b Powell 115, K. Sangakkara c Ramdin b Bradshaw 7, M. Jayawardene b Bravo 82, C. Silva c Lara b Sarwan 23, T. Dilshan (not out) 39, R. Arnold (not out) 4, Extras (lb-7, w-13, nb-5) 25, Total (for five wkts. in 50 overs) 303.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-35, 3-21, 4-251, 5-268.

West Indies bowling: Taylor 8-1-32-0, Powell 10-1-37-2, Bradshaw 10-0-67-1, Smith 3-0-23-0, Gayle 9-0-61-0, Bravo 7-0-59-1,Sarwan 3-0-17-1.

West Indies: C. Gayle c Fernando b Malinga 10, D. Bravo b Vaas 21, S. Chanderpaul b Malinga 76, B. Lara st. Sangakkara b Vaas 2, R. Sarwan st. Sangakkara b Jayasuriya 44, M. Samuels lbw b Muralitharan 3, D. Smith (run out) 0, D. Ramdin c Vaas b Jayasuriya 2, I. Bradshaw (not out) 6, J. Taylor lbw b Muralitharan 13, D. Powell b Jayasuriya 2, Extras (lb-1, w-8, nb 2) 11, Total (in 44.3 overs) 190. Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-40, 3- 42, 4-134, 5-147, 6-148, 7-158, 8-173, 9-187.

Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 8-1- 19-2, Malinga 5-0-34-2, Fernando 7-3-19-0, Dilshan 4-0-11-0, Arnold 3-0-9-0, Muralitharan 9-0- 59-2, Jayasuriya 8.3-0-38-3.

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