Mathews' career best 6/20 effort rattles India

Sanath (98) strikes form:

by Ranjan ANANDAPPA

CRICKET: A fantastic bowling effort by Angelo Mathews coupled with some brilliant individual batting performances efforts from Santh Jayasuriya andThilina Kandamby helped Sri Lanka to administer a heavy 139 run defeat to the visiting Indian team in the second match of the Compaq Tri Nation limited over series in a day\night match at the R.Premadasa Cricket Stadium yesterday.

After Jayasuriya's ( 98) and Thilina Kandamby's devastating innings of (91 n..o) Angelo Mathews produced a six over burst to take 6 wickets for 20 runs in 6 overs as the Indians lost their last seven wickets for 63 runs in which Mathews took six of the top wickets.

In pursuit of a massive 307 runs to win in 50 overs , there was always a certain amount of psychology involved specially batting second under lights. Besides Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Darvid the rest gave a woeful batting display as Mathews bowled his career best.

Tendulkar and Dravid made some effort to master the conditions, but with Mathews assuming command it proved to be futile.

The final will be played tomorrow and no doubt the toss will play a vital role.

Sanath Jayasuriya silenced his detractors with a whirlwind 98 off 79 deliveries with thirteen boundaries and Thilina Kandamby fully justified his inclusion for the forthcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa with a blistering unbeaten 91 off 73 deliveries with the aid of eleven boundaries as Sri Lanka reached an imposing total of 307 for 6 in their stipulated 50 overs.

After Jayasuriya's and Mathews heroics which added 70 runs for the fourth wicket, Kapugedera and Kandamby had an alliance of 83 runs for the sixth wicket. There after the left-hander Kandamby with an amazing display of batsmanship shared a seventh wicket stand of 48 runs with Nuwan Kulasekera for the seventh wicket off 23 balls and with the good early support batting the innings ended 307 for 6 in 50 overs which is a commendable score.

India after having an easy passage against New Zealand the other day came across stiffer competition in their game against Sri Lanka. With both teams already in the final to be played on Monday it looked some what a dress rehearsal.

Prolific scorer Thilan Samaraweera was rested with a slight nigle in his hamstring, and the selectors did not want to take any risks. Chamara Kapugedera was brought in to strengthen the batting. India fielded the same eleven which they defeated New Zealand.

The pitch looked good, better than the one that India met New Zealand on Friday. Dilshan and Jayasuriya gave the side a brisk start scoring 50 off 49 deliveries after Sangakkara winning the all important toss.

Dilshan hit left-armer Ashish Nehra's first ball of the innings for a four and Jayasuriya struck R.P. Singh twice to the boundary and showing signs of atonement for his early failures. But after 8.4 overs with 57 runs on the board Dilshan hit loosely to be caught behind off Ishant Sharma. Dilshan facing 27 deliveries which included with four boundaries.

The Lankans lost their former captain Mahela Jayawardena and the present one Kumar Sangakkara in quick succession with Jayasuriya still at the crease. But Jayasuriya found an useful ally, Angelo Mathews who rendered useful support.

Jayasuriya and Mathews monopolised play for a while adding 70 runs for the fourth wicket off 69 balls. Jayasuriya who had a lean patch ran into his finest form at a critical times. He hooked, cut and drove with punishing power and looked like the authentic Jayasuriya. While Jayasuriya was in full cry striking Yuraj Singh for a six and a four Mathew showed signs of aggression hooking Nehra for a four. Mathew stepping out for another ambitious shot off the bowling of Raina was stumped on the leg side by Dhoni after facing thirty seven balls for his 19 with a solitary four.

          SRI LANKA 

T. Dilshan c Dhoni b Sharma 		 23 
S. Jayasuriya lbw b Nehra 		 98 
M. Jayawardene st Dhoni b Pathan 	 17
K. Sangakkara lbw b Harbhajan 		 05 
A. Mathews st Dhoni b Raina 		 19 
T. Kandamby not out 			 91 
C. Kapugedara run out 			 36 
N. Kulasekara not out 			 03 
Extras (lb4, nb1, w10) 			 15 
Total (for 6 wkts, 50 overs) 		307 

Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Dilshan), 2-94 (Jayawardene), 3-102 (Sangakkara),
		4-172 (Jayasuriya), 5-176 (Mathews), 6-259 (Kapugedara).

Bowling: Nehra 9-0-62-1 (nb1, w4), Rudra Pratap 8-0-58-0 (w1), Sharma 
		10-0-67-1 (w1),
	Harbhajan 10-1-37-1 (w2), Pathan 7-0-45-1 (w1), Yuvraj 3-0-20-0 (w1), Raina 3-0-14-1. 

		INDIA 

D. KARTHIK c Sangakkara b Thushara 	 16 
S. TENDULKAR c Mendis b Kulasekara 	 27 
R. DRAVID b Mathews 			 47 
Y. SINGH c Sangakkara b Malinga 	 16 
S. RAINA c Sangakkara b Mathews 	 00 
M. DHONI b Mathews 			 08 
YUSUF PATHAN c Sangakkara b Mathews 	 01 
H. SINGH b Mathews 			 04 
R.P. SINGH not out 			 19 
A. NEHRA b Mathews 			 01 
I. SHARMA c sub (Tharanga) b Mendis 	 13 
Extras: (b1, lb1, w14) 			 16 
Total (all out, 37.2 overs) 		168 

Fall of wickets: 1-32 (Karthik), 2-67 (Tendulkar), 3-105 (Yuvraj), 
		4-108 (Raina),
		5-126 (Dravid), 6-129 (Dhoni), 7-130 (Pathan), 8-135 (Harbhajan),
		9-139 (Nehra), 10-168 (Sharma). 

Bowling: Kulasekara 8-1-35-1 (w6), Thushara 6-0-34-1, Malinga 8-0-33-1 (w7),
	Dilshan 2-0-17-0, Mathews 6-0-20-6, Jayasuriya 2-0-5-0, Mendis 5.2-0-22-1 (w1)