The Hindu : West Indies stifles Sri Lanka

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 01, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

West Indies stifles Sri Lanka

By G. Viswanath

Cape Town Feb. 28. Sri Lanka felt heavy pressure at Newlands on Friday afternoon and made only 228 in 50 overs. Things proceeded in a listless manner and the West Indies took control of the crucial Group `B' match of the ICC World Cup. Even Sanath Jayasuriya did not flash his bat in his wonted manner and could not carry the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He fell when his team needed acceleration, leaving a grim undertaking to the second string batsmen. The West Indies upped their game to new heights and returned to their changing rooms pleased and with hope of besting Sri Lanka's score.

The contest between the two teams which play the game in similar style, with plenty of flair and flamboyance, promised a humdinger. Leaving the ground with victory in the their bag was ultimate in the players' mind and secure a place in the Super 6 without further delay before taking on opposition in their last group matches early next week.

Jayasuriya looked a happy man at the toss. He appeared to have taken time though and had a chat with his counterpart Carl Hooper, before deciding to go out to bat, hold fort and show his team the way. He was prepared to take responsibility and was overtly vigilant in the first spells bowled by Mervyn Dillon and Pedro Collins.

The visit to Nairobi proved to be sort of a calamity for the Sri Lankans. Jayasuriya was miffed at the 53-run defeat and was keen and eager to make a quick turn around. But the start did not bode well on Friday for the 1996 champion. Dillon bounced the ball to chin height and made Marvan Atapattu hop in the crease. The right-hander took blows on his knuckles and suffered pain before Collins darted down the pitch on his follow through and flicked the ball to hit the base of the stumps and ended his misery.

Action replays confirmed Atapattu was short by a few inches. He had been beaten outside the off stump two times by Dillon and Collins in the first three overs and for once the West Indies new ball attack looked very threatening. Runs accrued to Sri Lanka through some fine shots played by Hashan Tillekeratne, but Hooper and the West Indies bowlers took command. The fielders, especially, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ricardo Powell pounced on balls at gully and backward point and backed their bowlers.

Jayasuriya's chanced his arm for his first boundary shot that sailed well over Hooper at first slip. His second four, off Collins, reflected a positive frame of mind of the captain. Dillon bowled an excellent first spell of 6-0-18-0, before Vasbert Drakes took charge from the pavilion end. It was a torrid spell from the fast bowler who had been capped only 22 times before. The Sri Lankan captain survived the first two balls, playing down the first one short of Wavell Hinds at gully and edging the second one a little wide of the wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs. He enjoyed a chance at 22.

The second-wicket pair repaired the early damage, but did not take the Sri Lankan innings forward to dominate the events the West Indies manipulated after the fall of the second wicket. The procession towards the Sri Lankan dressing room started after Wavell Hinds broke the second wicket partnership. The partnership was worth 88 runs (off 131 balls) before Tillekeratne tried to work Hinds around his pads. Aravind de Silva began in fine fashion, stroking the ball to the cover fence and punching an ondrive before a dreadful misunderstanding with his captain made him leave the scene in a huff.

Then, Jayasuriya felt pressure piling on him and swung part time off spinner Chris Gayle to deep forward of square leg. After his dismissal, the Sri Lankan innings meandered without purpose and a definite target in mind and with Russel Arnold and Chaminda Vaas taking the score from 178 to 228.

The West Indies responded to the exacting demands of the situation brilliantly and the bowlers came out with flying colours. Dillon and Drakes did not give width to be carted around by the Jayasuriya and the other batsmen appeared to be clueless expecting their captain to do it all by himself. Jayasuriya spent one and half hours and faced 99 balls, an effort that might not have helped his team's cause.

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