Sri Lanka crush India

Awesome Jaya fires.

BY : SYED WASEEM AFZAL.
Jayasuriya and Vaas powered Sri Lanka to victory in the final of the Coca Cola Champions Trophy. Sanath Jayasuriya blasted 189 off 161 balls and Vaas fired Indian batsmen to drub India by a record 245 runs.

India stumbled to 54 all out, the third lowest score in one-day internationals, as rampant Lankans crushed them by 245 runs in the final of the Champions Trophy, the biggest margin of defeat in a one-day international, surpassing Pakistan's 233-run thrashing of Bangladesh in the Asia Cup in May.

The lowest one-day score is 43 by Pakistan against West Indies in Cape Town in 1992/93. The second lowest is 45 made by Canada against England in Manchester in 1979.

Jayasuriya helped Sri Lanka amass 299 for 5 in 50 overs with a thunderous 189 and then the pace of Chaminda Vaas and spin of Muthiah Muralitharan destroyed India.

Sri Lankan opening bowlers bowled an aggressive deadly spell in the early overs, to destroy Indians. Ganguly was the first to go when he was caught by Jayasuriya for 3 runs off Chaminda Vaas.

Tendulkar made 5, surviving a confident appeal for a catch at the bowling off Zoysa, before Vaas held a return catch in the next over.

Young Yuvraj Singh coming up in the order went for 3 when he drove Vaas straight to Weereratne, leaving India on 19 for 3. Vinod Kambli (3) soon followed and Badani was caught by Arnold off Zoysa for 9.

Left handed Robin Singh managed to get into double figures for India but fell to Muralitharan for 11. Murali, who took a world record seven for 30 against India on Friday, continued his magic and snared 3 wickets for 6 runs in 6 overs.

Vaas tore apart the top and middle order and returned with remarkable figures of 5 wickets for 14 runs in 9.3 overs, as India were bowled out to their lowest one-day score, their previous lowest being 63 against Australia in 1981.

Earlier, electing to bat first after winning the toss, Jayasuriya set the tone for a confident start after driving the first ball of the match from Zaheer Khan to the cover fence. Openers, Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana put on 44 in 8 overs when Zaheer Khan provided the break through for the Indians by bowling Kaluwitharana off the inside edge for 15.

However, the score moved to 90 for 1 before the wickets started to tumble. Marvan Attapattu (9) was unlucky to be run out by a deflection from the bowler, Mahela Jayawardene (3) top edged an attempted slog sweep and Kumar Sangakkara (8) was bowled.

Jasuriya was ably supported by Russel Arnold and the duo add 166 for the fifth wicket after the Indians contained Sri Lanka to 116-4 in the 28th over.

Sanath Jayasuriya was severe on all the bowlers, particularly on Venkatesh Prasad, whose 7 overs were rattled for 74 runs.

A packed crowd of 28,000 at the Sharjah cricket stadium witnessed Jayasuriya plundering the Indian bowlers and notched up his first century at Sharjah and the ninth overall in 217 one-dayers.

Jayasuriya reached the 6,000-run mark when he was on 166, but unfortunately fell five runs short of Pakistani Saeed Anwar's world record of 194 when he was stumped by Dhaiya off Ganguly. The majestic swashbuckling left-hander pulverized the Indian attack and smashed an amazing 189 off 161 balls with 21 boundaries and 4 sixes.

Russel Arnold rotated the strike with ease and scored an unbeaten 52 runs from 62 balls. The breathtaking assault produced 99 runs in the last 10 overs.

Spinners, Sachin Tendulkar and Joshi were the only bowlers to restrain Sri Lankan batsmen by conceding 28 runs from 10 overs and 31 from 9 overs respectively. Indian pace bowlers were expenisve and their 31 overs cost a massive 240.

The dropped catch of Jayasuriya when he was on 93 by Joshi of his own bowling proved costly for the Indians in the end.

Click here for full Scorecard.

Sunday, October 29, 2000.
source : UAEcricket.com.

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