Cricket World Player Of The Week - Mahela Jayawardene

Cricket World Player Of The Week - Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene returned to form with two superb, match-turning innings in the One-Day International series

©Action Images / Ed Sykes Livepic

Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene has been named as the Cricket World Player Of The Week after he played two excellent innings to help his side into a One-Day International seies lead over England.

Jayawardene, who by his own admission struggled to show the form he was capable of in the Test series, hit a magnificent 144 in the second ODI and then an equally fluent 79 in the third match - both games that his side went on to win.

Batting first at Headingley, Jayawardene scoring his 144 in 150 balls and his majestic knock included 14 fours as he steered his side out of trouble at 45 for two to a winning total of 309 for five, combining with Kumar Sangakkara to add 159 runs for the third wicket and take the game away from England.

In the third game, Sri Lanka were set 247 to win and Jayawardene set them on course with 79 in 77 balls from the top of the order, once again steadying things after the early loss of captain Tillakaratne Dilshan.

His innings included nine fours and took the sting out of England's attack, setting the platform for his 21-year-old team-mate Dinesh Chandimal to finish the job with a fine century of his own.

Other contenders for the award following a busy week in the game were Scotland's Kyle Coetzer, India's VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma and Australia's Shelley Nitschke.

© Cricket World 2011