24 July 2004	Saturday	06 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

COLOMBO, July 23: Sanath Jayasuriya smashed 107 not out as Sri Lanka crushed Bangladesh by 10 wickets in their Asia Cup second round match on Friday.

Sri Lanka, chasing Bangladesh's moderate 190 for nine, raced home with 16.3 overs to spare to pick up a bonus point and boost their net run rate.

Jayasuriya's century was his first since last year's World Cup, and the 35-year-old shared in an unbroken 191-run stand for the first wicket with Avishka Gunawardene, who scored 64.

Sri Lanka are now virtually assured of a place in the final of the six-nation tournament, providing they don't concede a bonus point to India next week and Pakistan doesn't thrash India on Sunday.

Bangladesh struggled from the start, collapsing to 31 for four after winning the toss and electing to bat before opener Mohammad Ashraful (66) shared in a 100-run fifth-wicket stand with Manjural Islam (43) to give their innings some semblance of credibility.

Earlier, the hosts had Bangladesh in trouble as they captured early wickets and bogged down their scoring rate. Lasith Malinga, recalled to the team in place of the rested Nuwan Zoysa, had Rajin Saleh (five) caught behind in the second over before Habibul Bashar (seven) was out in similar circumstances off Chaminda Vaas.

All-rounder Alok Kapali (one) was then run out to leave Bangladesh struggling at 23 for three in the ninth over. Their innings then ground to a standstill, with eight runs being added in the next eight overs, before Farveez Maharoof bowled Faisal Hossain for one.

Ashraful and Manjural then consolidated, crawling along at two runs per over before increasing the tempo in the final 15 overs. Vaas was Sri Lanka's most successful bowler, taking three for 30 in his 10 overs.

Jayasuriya admitted to "relief" after emerging from what he considered to be the worst slump of his career. The 35-year-old ended a 30-match stretch without a century. "It was a very good feeling and a big relief," said Jayasuriya of his first century since scoring 120 against New Zealand at the World Cup in February 2003.

"This must have been the worst period that I have been through in my career. "But I always knew I could come back and do something for Sri Lanka. I just needed to get to 20 or 30 because then I know what to do.

"I have to play my natural game but, if you look back at my career, that sometimes means I go through these patches because I can get out early." In the five previous matches before his barren streak began, the dashing opener had scored three one-day centuries and was run out for 99 in another.

Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu said he had never doubted that Jayasuriya would bounce back despite growing criticism from the Sri Lanka media. "People were trying to give me headaches about him but I never had a headache about him," said Atapattu.

"It was always on the cards and we all knew it was just a matter of time because we all knew what a good player he is. "These things happen to everyone and during those times you have to support the player."

Aapattu wants to maintain their momentum in their last group game against India on Tuesday. "We have now virtually got there but we can't let it slip now. Things are different at the moment, everyone has lifted themselves, and I want to continue with that."

SCOREBOARD

BANGLADESH:

Mohammad Ashraful run out 66

Rajin Saleh c S'kkara b Malinga 5

Habibul Bashar c S'kkara b Vaas 7

Alok Kapali run out 1

Faisal Hossain b Maharoof 1

Manjural Islam Rana st S'kkara b Murali 43

Khaled Mashud c and b Vaas 19

Abdur Razzaq b Vaas 10

Mohammad Rafique run out 5

Khaled Mahmud not out 8

Tapash Baisya not out 5

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-11, W-2, NB-2) 20

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 190

FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-21, 3-23, 4-31, 5-131, 6-151, 7-172, 8-175, 9-182.

BOWLING: Vaas 10-3-30-3; Malinga 9-1-24-1 (2w); Muralitharan 10-2-26-1; Maharoof 8-0-33-1 (2nb); Chandana 7-0-39-0; Jayasuriya 6-0-22-0.

SRI LANKA:

D.A. Gunawardene not out 64

S.T. Jayasuriya not out 107

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-18) 20

TOTAL (for no wkt, 33.3 overs) 191

DID NOT BAT: M.S. Atapattu, K.C. Sangakkara, D.P.M.D. Jayawardene, T.M. Dilshan, M.F. Maharoof, U.D.U. Chandana, W.P.U.J.C. Vaas, M. Muralitharan, S.L. Malinga.

BOWLING: Tapash Baisya 7-0-32-0; Khaled Mahmud 5-0-40-0 (8w); Abdur Razzaq 6-0-41-0 (9w); Mohammad Rafique 8-0-42-0; Manjural Islam Rana 7-0-30-0 (1w); Mohammad Ashraful 0.3-0-4-0.

UMPIRES: P.D. Parker (Australia) and D.R. Shepherd (England).

TV UMPIRE: Nadeem Ghauri (Pakistan).

MATCH REFEREE: M.J. Procter (South Africa).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Sanath Jayasuriya. -Reuters

POINTS TABLE

Points table after the Asia Cup Super League match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on Thursday:

(Tabulated under played, won, lost, points, net run-rate):



Sri Lanka       2       2       0       12      +1.67



India           1       1       0       6       +1.08



Pakistan        1       0       1       0       -1.40



Bangladesh      2       0       2       0       -1.46