Jayawardene guides Sri Lanka to a 57-run win over West Indies

Mahela Jayawardene hammered an unbeaten 56-ball 98 and added 166 runs with Kumar Sangakkara (68) to guide Sri Lanka to a comprehensive 57-run win over the West Indies in their Group F Super Eight match in the Twenty20 cricket World Cup here.

Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka rode on Jayawardene's innings which was laced with nine fours and four sixes and Sangakkara's 49-ball 68, which included five fours and three sixes, to post an imposing 195 for three yesterday.

The visitors then returned with a disciplined bowling performance to restrict West Indies to 138 for eight to complete a clinical win at the Kensington Oval here.

Dwayne Bravo (23) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (28) ignited some hopes of a successful chase but once they were gone West Indies looked down the barrel, losing half the side for 100 in 15.3 overs.
     
For Sri Lanka, Ajantha Mendis and Lasith Malinga scalped three wickets apiece giving away 24 and 28 runs respectively, while Nuwan Kulasekara and Angelo Matthews picked up one each to contribute to the win.

Chasing 196 to win, West Indies started off well with Shivnarine Chanderpaul picking up six and a four in the second over but Angelo Matthews struck in the last ball to remove the opener, caught by Chamara Kapugedera at short third man.

One ball later, skipper Chris Gayle, was also sent packing when his leading edge popped up towards extra cover with Mathews completing an easy catch reducing the Windies to 23 for two in 2.2 overs.
     
Dwayne Bravo (23) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (28) then went on damage control mode and engaged in singles and twos and occasional boundaries to forge a 50-ball 53-run third wicket partnership to keep the Windies in the hunt.
     
But Lasith Malinga struck in the 11th over, removing Bravo and eight balls later Ajantha Mendis got rid off Sarwan who hit one back to the bowler as West Indies slipped to 82 for four in 12.1 overs.
    
Andre Fletcher (16), Keiron Pollard (9), Darren Sammy (2) and Wavell Hinds (5) also fell prey to the ever-increasing required runrate as it was all over for the home team.

Earlier, Jayawardene and Sangakkara exploited the innumerable chances offered by the butterfingered West Indies fielders, who missed a stumping and catches galore.

The duo indulged in powerful hitting and set the tone from the start. Jayawardene, specially, was unstoppable and was on his way to a much-deserving century but with his teammates going great guns, he eventually was stranded at the other end in the last over.

Sri Lanka started off on a cautious note as the first two overs yielded just seven runs but once Jayasuriya was out and Sangakkara joined Jayawardene, the pace of the game changed as the two picked up boundaries at will.

In the fourth over, Jayawardene welcomed Jerome Taylor with a six and a four at long on and backward square leg respectively before meting the same treatment to Dwayne Bravo in the second ball of the next over.

Sangakkara, who was dropped at first slip by Chris Gayle, then clubbed two more fours off Bravo as the pacer bled 14 runs off the over.

Jayawardene continued the rampage, sending Sulieman Benn for a four in the next over, while Sangakkara picked up his first six in the seventh over off Bravo when he danced down the pitch and clobbered him over long-off.
     
The left-handed batsman then clubbed Benn over deep midwicket for another six, while Jayawardene picked up two more fours off Darren Sammy in the next over.

The duo continued to treat the bowlers with disdain and took Sri Lanka to hundred in the 12th over and after a few overs, Jayawardene and Sangakkara picked up a six and a four respectively off Benn to cross the 150-mark in the 17th over.
     
Sangakkara eventually holed out to Keiron Pollard at long-off in the 19th over but Jayawardene plundered a six and a four to accumulate 14 runs of the over.

In the final over, Jayawardene was stranded at the non-striker's end as Chamara Kapugedera (6) and Thillakaratne Dilshan (4 not out) blasted a four each to take Sri Lanka close to the 200-mark.