June 27, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 22, 1429

LAHORE, June 26: Brilliant half-centuries from Mahela Udawatte and Mahela Jayawardene helped defending champions Sri Lanka pile up 290-9 against minnows United Arab Emirates in the last Group ‘A’ match of the ninth Asia Cup One-day cricket tournament at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka, despite some hiccups during the innings, managed to put up an impressive total as Udawatte (67), Jayawardene (61) contributed useful knocks.

The islanders started shakily, losing in-form Kumar Sangakara in the very first over. He was adjudged leg before wicket off medium-pacer Zahid Shah for a six-ball duck.

But Udawatte and Jayawardene then steadied the innings with a second-wicket stand of 114.

Jayawardene scored 61 off 43 balls with nine fluent drives to the fence to complete his 45th half-century.

His dismissal triggered a mini collapse which saw both Chamara Kapugedera and Chamra Silva departing in quick succession to off-breaker Mohammad Tauqir.

Udawatte, who was looking set for a big knock, was finally caught by Tauqir at mid-wicket area off medium-pacer Fahad Alhashmi for a 74-ball 67 with the total at 180-5 in 27.3 overs. And when Fahad again struck to remove Tilakaratne Dilshan (24) caught by wicketkeeper Amjad Ali, Sri Lanka appeared in real trouble.

With 16.4 overs still left, tail-enders Kulasekera and Weeraratne played sensibly to plunder 53 runs in the 8th wicket stand to take the total to 262 before UAE’s captain Saqib Ali broke it.

Zahid claimed three wickets for 49 runs while Fahad and Tauqir picked up two wicket each for 39 and 47 runs respectively.

Sri Lanka

K. Sangakkara lbw b Shah 0

M. Udawatte c Tauqir b Alhashmi 67

M. Jayawardene run out 61

C. Kapugedera c Amjad b Tauqir 11

C. Silva c Batuwitarachchi b Tauqir 6

T. Dilshan c Amjad b Alhashmi 24

K. Weeraratne c Batuwitarachchi b Saqib 40

T. Thushara c Amjad b Shah 10

N. Kulasekera c Khurrum b Shah 38

D. Fernando not out 15

A. Mendis not out 0

EXTRAS: (B-1, LB-6, W-11) 18

TOTAL: (for 9 wkts, 50 overs) 290

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-114, 3-131, 4-142, 5-180, 6-189, 7-209, 8-262, 9-286

BOWLING: Shah 10-1-49-3, Alhashmi 5-0-39-2 (W-6), Aman 2-0-22-0 (W-2), Saqib 7-0-45-1 (W-1), Tauqir 10-0-47-2 (W-1), Khurrum 10-0-55-0 (W-1), Arshad 6-0-26-0

UAE: Saqib Ali (captain), Mohammad Tauqir, Arshad Ali, Khurrum Khan, Zahid Shah, Alavi Shukri, Fahad Alhashmi, Amjad Ali, Aman Ali, Nizel Fernandes, Indika Batuwitarachchi

Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS), Ian Gould (ENG)

TV umpire: Amish Saheba (IND)

Match referee: Mike Procter (RSA)