Sri Lanka take series with 26-run win

Sri Lanka completed what was in the end a comfortable victory over West Indies at the SSC in Colombo to take the series 2-0. West Indies lost both their openers for ducks within first 2 overs in chase of Sri Lanka's 277, but Darren Bravo and R Sarwan kept them in the game for a while with a 125-run partnership.

Sarwan fell after reaching his second half-century of the series, and it sparked a collapse. Shivnarine Chanderpaul added only 3 before edging Ajantha Mendis to Mahela at slip (It was one of the best catches at slips !), and then Thisara Perera struck two blows, including the crucial one of Darren Bravo, who was out for 79 (LBW).

West Indies were given some hope by their wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh, who scored a quick 49, but the asking rate was always on the rise, and they ended up being bowled out in 49 overs.

West Indies were left to chase 278 for victory and to square the three-match series one-all against Sri Lanka on a slow and turning SSC pitch. Sri Lanka were asked to bat first on the same pitch where the first two matches were played, and SL top order batsmen got into good starts without going on to make a big score.

Kumar Sangakkara's 75 off 105 balls was the top score, while Mahela Jayawardene contributed 44. The pair added 95 for the third wicket off 114 balls, after openers Tharanga and Dilshan had given a quick start by posting 54 off 50 balls.

Sri Lanka failed to make much headway in the batting Powerplay which they took at 177 for 2 in the 37th over, when they lost the two in-form batsmen - Jayawardene for 44, and Sangakkara.

The departure of the top four batsmen at 205 caused the Sri Lanka run-rate to slump. The middle-order failed to capitalize on the platform laid by the early batsmen as Sri Lanka lost five wickets for 39 runs. Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera (a failure always !) and Thisara Perera all went cheaply as Benn worked himself towards his best ODI bowling figures, finishing with four wickets for 38.

The innings was given a late momentum by Angelo Mathews who slammed a quick 36 off 22 balls to help Sri Lanka cross the 275-run mark - a total which their bowlers should be able to defend on the slow pitch despite the absence of Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan who were both rested. It's nice to see the qukie Dilhara bowled well without giving any no ball.