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| June 26, 2003 | Thursday | Rabi-us-Sani 25,1424 |
Lara hammers double century in drawn Test
GROS ISLET (St Lucia), June 25: Openers Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya made unbeaten half centuries as the first of two Tests between the West Indies and Sri Lanka ended in a predictable draw on Tuesday.
The Sri Lankan pair took few risks after the West Indies declared at tea on 477 for nine in reply to the tourists’ first innings of 354.
Sri Lanka made 126 without loss in their second innings as play was concluded.
West Indies captain Brian Lara had lit up the final day of the rain-hit match reaching a majestic 209, but with a day and half of play lost to rain, it came too late to put Sri Lanka under any pressure.
Lara admitted that the circumstances of the match had left him to rate the innings behind his four other double centuries.
“It falls behind the others but the important thing is that it is in the present and it builds up for a good ending to the series in the second Test in Jamaica,” he said
Atapattu, who made 118 in the first innings, marked the end of play by reaching exactly 50, while Jayasuriya was 73 not out.
The West Indies bowlers struggled to draw any life out of a lacklustre Beausejour Stadium wicket in the final session, and Corey Collymore could produce none of the swing that gave him a five-wicket haul in the first innings.
Lara’s fifth time past 200 in Tests was laced with 24 boundaries and one triumphant six launched in celebration of his double century.
Prabath Nissanka finally ended Lara’s innings when he edged the ball to Kaluwitharana for an easy catch.
The West Indies also took heart from a mature 50 by 20-year-old off spinner Omari Banks to keep the runs flowing after the loss of Lara, while Muttiah Muralitharan was the best Sri Lankan bowler with five for 138.
Scoreboard
SRI LANKA (1st Innings) 354 (M.S. Atapattu 118, K.C. Sangakkara 56; C.D. Collymore 5-66).
WEST INDIES (1st Innings):
C.H. Gayle lbw b M’tharan 27
D. Ganga lbw b Vaas 12
W.W. Hinds run out 113
B.C. Lara c Kalu’rana b Nissanka 209
R.R. Sarwan c Atapattu b M’tharan 7
M.N. Samuels st Kalu’rana b M’tharan 8
R.D. Jacobs lbw b M’tharan 13
O.A.C. Banks not out 50
M. Dillon c Atapattu b Lokuarachchi 2
C.D. Collymore c and b M’tharan 0
J.E. Taylor not out 9
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4, W-2, NB-17) 27
TOTAL (for nine decl, 138.3 overs) 477
FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-66, 3-240, 4-262, 5-279, 6-305, 7-441, 8-447, 9-448.
BOWLING: Vaas 39-5-116-1 (8nb); Nissanka 21.3-1-108-1 (4nb, 2w); Samaraweera 8-0-53-0 (2nb); Muralitharan 50-10-138-5 (3nb); Lokuarachchi 20-6-54-1.
SRI LANKA (2nd Innings):
M.S. Atapattu not out 50
S.T. Jayasuriya not out 73
EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-1) 3
TOTAL (for no wkt, 34 overs) 126
BOWLING: Dillon 5-1-24-0; Collymore 3-0-8-0 (1nb); Hinds 4-0-25-0; Taylor 6-1-19-0; Banks 10-0-28-0; Samuels 3-1-15-0; Sarwan 3-0-5-0.
RESULT: Match drawn.
UMPIRES: D.J. Harper (Australia) and B.F. Bowden (New Zealand).
TV UMPIRE: B. Doctrove (West Indies).
MATCH REFEREE: Wasim Raja (Pakistan).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Brian Lara.
SECOND TEST: Kingston, June 27-July 1.—Reuters
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