Lara (64 n.o.) fails to save Windies

BRIDGETOWN: West Indies captain Brian Lara hit a determined, unbeaten 64 yesterday, but could not halt Sri Lanka from winning by 55 runs in the opening One Day cricket international.

Lara’s innings was a single-handed effort as the home team was skittled for 146 off 41 overs in reply to Sri Lanka’s total of 201 all out off 48.4 overs. Wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana topscored with 54 off 75 balls, while all-rounder Kumar Dharmasena chipped in with an important 40 off 54 deliveries to shore up Sri Lanka’s lower order. New ball bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Prabath Nissanka then  set the skids under the home team with two early wickets apiece, as the West Indies slipped to 19 for four. Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan claimed three late wickets to seal the result and earn the “Man of the Match” award. Left-armer Vaas took two for 16 off six overs, while Nissanka claimed two for 27 off six overs. Muralitharan grabbed three for 17 off seven overs.

Wavell Hinds, coming off back-to-back centuries against the Australians, fell in the second over for a duck. The Jamaican was bowled behind his back by Nissanka. Fellow left-hander Gayle also fell without scoring as Vaas  gained an edge through to Kaluwitharana. Vaas also claimed Ricardo Powell (5) plumb leg before to an inswinger and Nissanka further silenced the home fans as Ramnaresh Sarwan (8) slapped a catch to short point. Lara and Marlon Samuels (29) added 54 for the fifth wicket to gradually loosen the Sri Lankan grip. But fast bowler Dharshana Gamage, in only his second match, provided a vital strike by removing Samuels. The 22-year-old struck five fours off 38 balls before edging a cut low down to the wicket-keeper. Ridley Jacobs helped Lara put on 32 for the sixth wicket, but Muralitharan’s intervention sparked a lower order slide.

Jacobs (14) sliced a cut to backward point, David Bernard (0) was bowled and Mervyn Dillon top-edged a sweep to short fine leg. In between, Vasbert Drakes was run out by Nissanka’s strong return from long-on as the batsman sought to give Lara back the strike. Lara inspired some optimism in adding 25 with last man Corey Collymore as he farmed the strike. But Collymore could not last the distance and was leg before to part-time off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan to end the  resistance. Lara was left high and dry after facing 130 balls and stroking four fours. Earlier, fast bowler Dillon, who turned 29 two days ago, struck with the third ball of the match to give West Indies a fine start. Left-hander Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka’s most experienced batsmen, was ruled caught behind as he drove at a Dillon outswinger.

Kaluwitharana and captain Marvan Atapattu added 46 for the second wicket before off-spinner Samuels halted the blossoming association. Atapattu scooped a return catch back to the bowler after compiling 22 off 36 balls with three fours. The quick loss of Kumar Sangakkara (15), Mahela Jayawardene (8) and Kaluwitharana reduced the visitors to 112 for five in the 29th over. But the level-headed Dilshan and Dharmasena brought some  respectability to the innings with an important sixth wicket  stand of 59. Dillon was the best of the West Indies bowlers with three for 39 off 9.4 overs.  The second of three One Day Internationals is set for today in Barbados.