Sangakkara And Mendis Star In Sri Lanka Victory

Sangakkara And Mendis Star In Sri Lanka Victory

Ajantha Mendis (centre) took four wickets and Kumar Sangakkara (right) scored a half-century as Sri Lanka clinched a 2-0 series win

©REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds (SRI LANKA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Sri Lanka 277-9 (Sangakkara 75, Benn 4-38) beat
West Indies 251 (DM Bravo 79) by 26 runs
Third One-Day International, Colombo
Scorecard

Kumar Sangakkara scored a half-century and Ajantha Mendis took four wickets to underpin Sri Lanka's 26-run victory over the West Indies in the third and final One-Day International in Colombo.

Sangakkara's 75 enabled Sri Lanka to post 277 for nine and Mendis then took four for 46 as a battling West Indies were bowled out for 251 with the result that Sri Lanka took the three-match series by two games to nil.

Sangakkara stroked a fluent 75 in 104 balls, building on a solid start by openers Upul Tharanga (39) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (30).

He was given excellent support from Mahela Jayawardene, who made 44, before a late blast of Angelo Mathews, who smashed 36 not out in 22 deliveries, undid some of the excellent work of left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, who had taken four for 38 to keep the West Indies in the contest.

All four of his victims - Tharanga, Sangakkara, Chamara Kapugedera (17) and Thilan Samaraweera (4) were bowled.

The West Indies then got off to a terrible start and before a run had been scored, they had lost openers Chris Gayle and Adrian Barath to Dilhara Fernando and Tissara Perera respectively.

The innings was given fresh impetus by a 125-run stand for the third wicket between Darren Bravo, who made 79, and Ramnaresh Sarwan, who scored 51.

However, following their dismissals, the West Indies lost their way and although Dwayne Bravo (32) and Carlton Baugh (49) attempted to get the run chase back on track, they were unable to do so as Sri Lanka took control.

Leading the way was Mendis, who first struck to have Shivnarine Chanderpaul caught by Jayawardene for three, returning to close out the game with the wickets of Baugh, Nikita Miller (13) and Benn (6).

Perera returned three for 36, Fernando two for 45 and Rangana Herath one for 54.

Both sides will now turn their attentions to the World Cup. Co-hosts Sri Lanka begin their campaign against Canada on 20th February while the West Indies start with a game against South Africa on 24th February.

bet365 make Sri Lanka 9/2 chances to win the 2011 World Cup while the West Indies are a 20/1 chance.

© Cricket World 2011