Date:02/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/02/stories/2007100260471900.htm

Sport

Maharoof bowls Lanka to victory

England fails to get the momentum going on a slow wicket

— Photo: AFP

DEMOLITION MAN: Sri Lanka’s Farveez Maharoof, who scythed through England’s top order, celebrates the dismissal of Alastair Cook.

DAMBULLA: Farveez Maharoof's devastating four-wicket spell and a quickfire 22 runs guided Sri Lanka to a massive 119-run win against England in the opening limited-overs match on Monday.

Maharoof accounted for Phil Mustard, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, and Alastiar Cook to give the hosts total control early, defending a competitive 269 runs from its 50 overs.

Earlier, Maharoof made 22 runs off just 12 balls to boost the team total.

England, without an one-day international win on Sri Lankan soil for 25 years, failed to put up fight.

Coming in as second change, the right-arm paceman lured debutant Mustard to drive to Lasith Malinga and then struck twice by forcing Bell and Pietersen to nick to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.

The two wickets in the space of two overs was the killer blow for England's run chase as both Pietersen and Bell were key batsmen for them.

Bell had scored a hundred in a warm-up game ahead of the series but was dismissed without scoring and Pietersen was out for just one run.

Maharoof missed a fifth wicket when he dropped a return catch from Paul Collingwood, the English skipper. Collingwood, however, didn't last long, as he edged a delivery to his opposite number Mahela Jayawardene after making nine.

Lasith Malinga accounted for Owais Shah to leave England in tatters at 91 for five but a 42-run stand in 39 balls between Ravi Bopara and Graeme Swann instilled some hope.

Offspinner Tillakaratne Dilshan provided the breakthrough by removing Swann, caught by Malinga and the next ball Stuart Broad was run out.

England were bowled out for 150 with more than 15 overs remaining.

Earlier Sri Lanka's innings was spurred by captain Jayawardene's fine 66. The right-hander added 71 runs for the third wicket with Kumar Sangakkara (38) and 55 for the fourth wicket with Chamara Silva (33) to give the hosts a defendable total.

Taking advantage of a missed caught and bowled chance by Collingwood at 43, Jayawardene reached his 30th half-century with an exquisite drive.

Silva's aggressive 33 in 36 balls with a boundary and a six pushed Sri Lanka's score beyond 250 before Maharoof's aggressive batting came.

In an unusual move, Sri Lanka opted to go for a four man pace attack without playing even a single specialist spinner. Part time spinners Sanath Jayasuriya and Dilshan, however, contributed with three dismissals. -- AP