Thursday, March 22, 2007

Live Scores-Bangladesh Vs Srilanka


World Cup group B, Trinidad: Sri Lanka 318-4 (50 ovs) bt Bangladesh 113 by 198 runs (D/L)

Sanath Jayasuriya
Jayasuriya played some typically thrilling strokes in Trinidad

Sri Lanka took control of Group B with a commanding 198-run victory over Bangladesh under the D/L method.

Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya blasted a dazzling 24th one-day ton with seven sixes in 109, having earlier retired hurt due to cramp after a quick single.

He resumed on 83 and passed 100 with consecutive sixes, Kumar Sangakkara and Chamara Silva adding fluent fifties.

In search of a distant 319 for victory, Bangladesh slipped to 41-5 inside 17 overs and were bowled out for 113.

Despite the formidable target, Bangladesh would have been quietly confident following their success against India, in which three of their teenage batsmen scored half-centuries.

But this time all three were back in the pavilion within 17 overs with less than 50 accumulated by the entire team.

Aftab Ahmed briefly adopted a bold approach when he fizzed two fours in an over from Chaminda Vaas, who conceded only three runs from the other 6.4 overs of his opening spell.

Skipper Habibul Bashar made an obdurate 18 from 47 balls, but was undone by the sort of smart fielding that eluded his own side.

Counterpart Mahela Jayawardene, who earlier put down a sharp chance to his left at slip when Saqib al Hasan had made one, scored a direct hit with his underarm throw from backward square as a lumbering Bashar failed to make his ground.

Hasan's reprieve did not prove costly, he failed to add to his single before Muttiah Muralitharan bamboozled him with a doosra in his second over.

Following a short rain delay, when Bangladesh were all but out in any case at 72-6, their target was revised to an equally unlikely 311 from 46 overs.

Mashrafe Mortaza signalled his intentions with a towering six over long-on in the second full over after the resumption, but tried to repeat it next ball and skewed to backward point.

Bangladesh stuttered to three figures in the 35th over, but then lost their eighth wicket when Mohammad Rafique lofted to deep mid-wicket and Farveez Maharoof took the catch, despite an enthusiastic Muralitharan barging into him in his haste to pouch the chance.

Somewhat appropriately given their shambolic display, Bangladesh's demise was sealed by a run-out with the final ball of the 37th over.

Bangladesh supporters in Trinidad
Bangladesh did not live up to the expectations of their fans

Having won the toss, Bangladesh's day began to turn from bad to worse, and it was fielding that started the problems.

Upul Tharanga had made only three when a mix-up with Jayasuriya saw him halfway down the pitch.

But bowler Syed Rasel, although with plenty of time to take aim, missed with his throw at the stumps.

It was by no means the only blemish.

After Tharanga had been dismissed in the 15th over, brilliantly caught from a prostrate position at the second attempt by Aftab Ahmed, Jayawardene should have been run out three times before he had reached double figures.

In addition, the Sri Lanka captain was dropped by a juggling Habibul Bashar at cover when 24, and on 28 survived when umpire Steve Davis failed to detect a clear edge to the keeper off Saqib al Hasan.

The Bangladesh skipper was to blame again when Sangakkara whipped a regulation catch to him above his head at mid-wicket, but again he could not hold on.

Next ball Sangakkara lofted to long-on where Tamim Iqbal took a neat catch running in from the boundary.

That brought Jayasuriya back to the crease and he put aside concerns over his fitness with a quick single first ball.

Before his injury when 73 Jayasuriya was almost caught by Mohammad Ashraful on the mid-wicket boundary when the fielder, realising he was on the rope and could not take the catch pushed the ball back into play to save the runs.

In almost an exact replica, the fielder was unable to hold the ball or push it back into play as Jayasuriya moved into the 90s.

Having reached his 24th one-day international century, the 37-year-old could only find backward square-leg with almost a reverse pull, but it was not the last of the big hits.

Silva flicked a six over long-on calypso style to reach fifty and posted an entertaining 52 from 48 balls.