Lanka thump Windies by four wickets in warm-up game

Sri Lanka produced a solid batting display with captain Kumar Sangakkara leading from the front as they scored an emphatic four-wicket win over West Indies in their warm-up game ahead of the Cricket World Cup here today.

Sri Lanka produced a solid batting display with captain Kumar Sangakkara leading from the front as they scored an emphatic four-wicket win over West Indies in their warm-up game ahead of the Cricket World Cup here today.

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Chasing 282 for a win, Sri Lanka romped home with 15 balls to spare with Sangakkara top-scoring with a 89-ball 71 in their second and final World Cup warm-up game at R Premadasa Stadium.

Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (62) and Thilan Samaraweera (55) were the other main contributors.

Sri Lanka, who had beaten the Netherlands by 156 runs in their first warm-up game on February 12, open their World Cup campaign against Canada at Hambantota on February 20.

Sri Lanka made a flying start in their run chase with openers Upul Tharanga (18) and Dilshan putting on 67 runs in 10 overs before the former was out.

Sangakkara and Dilshan then stitched on 38 runs for the second wicket before the partnership was broken at 105 for two in the 19th over.

Former captain Mahela Jayawardene (20) fell soon after without contributing much but Sangakkara and Samaraweera took the game out of West Indies' hands with a solid 100-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Sangakkara was out in the 40th over but by that time Sri Lanka needed less than 50 runs from last 10 overs and though Samaraweera could not finish the match, Chamara Kapugedera (18 not out) ensured that Sri Lanka surpassed the target in 47.3 overs.

For West Indies, Sulieman Benn was the most successful bowler with three for 40.

Earlier, explosive opening batsman Chris Gayle and wicketkeeper Darren Bravo stuck half-centuries to guide West Indies to 281 all out after West Indies elected to bat.

Gayle played in his usual flamboyant style, scoring 58 off 38 balls with the help of eight fours and a six while Darren Bravo's 54 came from 78 balls.

The duo stitched 83 runs for the second wicket in 10.4 overs after the other opener Devon Smith was out for a three-ball duck in the first over itself of the bowling of Lasith Malinga.

Runs came thick and fast with Gayle firing on all cylinders, but the opener was soon out by the 12th over and the pace slowed down a bit after his departure, bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan.

Bravo and first warm-up game centurion Ramanaresh Sarwan then took charge and stitched a 74-run stand for the third wicket as West Indies reached 169 for four by the 29th over.