December 4, 2001	Tuesday	Ramazan 18, 1422

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COLOMBO, Dec 3: Sri Lanka wrapped up a 3-0 series whitewash over West Indies Monday despite Brian Lara’s historic feat of adding 130 to his first-innings double century.

Chaminda Vaas, the 27-year-old left-arm Sri Lankan fast bowler, shared the honours with Lara, who followed his 221 in the first innings with 130 in the second to become the fifth batsman to score a double-century and a century in a Test.

Vaas took seven wickets for the second innings in succession, the home side winning the third and final Test by 10 wickets.

Sri Lanka raced to their third consecutive win in just 5.3 overs, with openers Marvan Atapattu and skipper Sanath Jayasuriya comfortably scoring 26 required for victory.

It was Sri Lanka’s first series win over West Indies. Lara had the consolation of becoming the first player for almost three decades to make a century and double century in the same Test.

West Indies’ hopes of salvaging some pride on the final day of the series had rested on the left-handed Trinidadian, who resumed on 76 not out in a total of 145 for two.

He reached three figures by cutting off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan to point for three, his hundred spanning 198 minutes and 169 balls and including 11 fours and a six.

But his dismissal just before lunch, bowled by an inswinging yorker from left-arm fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa, proved decisive.

That made it 247 for six at the break, a lead of only 10, and Vaas quickly wrapped up the innings with the final four wickets to end with seven for 71 from 25 overs as West Indies were bowled out for 262.

The last four wickets fell for four runs.

Lara also became the second-highest run-getter in a three-Test series with 688 after Gooch’s 752 against India.

Lara, who also made 178 in the second Test, finished the three-match series with an average of 114.66.

Only four other players have made a century and double century in Tests, the last player Australia’s Greg Chappell in 1974 (247 not out and 133 against New Zealand at Wellington).

The others in exalted company are Australian Doug Walters, India’s Sunil Gavaskar and West Indian Lawrence Rowe.

That list, though, increases to five if England’s Graham Gooch is included. He remains the only man in Tests to score a century and a triple century in the same match, making 333 and 123 against India at Lord’s in 1990.

Vaas, meanwhile, ended the match with overall figures of 14 for 191, recording career-best Test figures in both innings, his second haul of 10 or more wickets in 55 Tests..

His last three victims all fell lbw for ducks as the bowler took four for one in nine balls. His performance was the best by a Sri Lankan bowler since Muttiah Muralitharan took 16 for 220 against England at The Oval in 1998.

Vaas has also played a key role on the fifth morning, when he got a ball to reverse swing and dismiss Ramnaresh Sarwan for 66 after a 141-run stand for the third wicket.

Sarwan, who also enhanced his reputation during the one-sided series, batted for three-and-a-quarter hours, hitting 11 fours.

Muralitharan, without success for 27 overs, struck twice in his 28th, to reduce West Indies to 203 for six and start the slide.

He first enticed Carl Hooper out of his crease with a well-flighted delivery wide outside off stump and had him stumped for nine. Marlon Samuels lasted two balls before he was caught off bat and pad at silly mid-off by Mahela Jayawardena without scoring.

Vaas completed the job with three wickets off his last seven deliveries, trapping Dinanath Ramnarine, Pedro Collins and Marlon Black leg-before.