West Indian cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2005

The hosts Sri Lanka were yet again stunned by the West Indies' accurate and fierce pace bowling, as they chose to bowl first at Kandy. In the third over, they got immediate reward, having Sanath Jayasuriya caught behind off Daren Powell for 2 - however, TV replays indicated that the decision was unjustified. To the West Indians, that mattered little, as it gave them a much needed confidence boost. Ten overs later, Tino Best and Powell had dug out a further three wickets, and Sri Lanka were staring down the barrel at 42 for 4. Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan paired up for 56 for the fifth wicket before Best ran out Dilshan, but this time there was little wagging from the tail, only Muttiah Muralitharan making an unbeaten 18, as Powell took the last three wickets - both Rangana Herath and Lasith Malinga ending up caught behind - and Sri Lanka subsided for 150.

However, Chaminda Vaas was determined to make up for his batting failure, and in his second over two West Indian wickets fell. First, Ryan Ramdass and Xavier Marshall confused themselves to have Ramdass run out. Next ball, Xavier Marshall launched a drive to Marvan Atapattu at mid-off, and both openers had gone - with the West Indies 9 for 2. Surviving seven balls to tea without further loss, West Indies were in for a nasty surprise, as the new batsman Runako Morton departed in Vaas' next over. However, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Sylvester Joseph tried to rebuild, but were shaken - often beaten by Vaas and Malinga's deliveries. It had to end, and it did six overs later, when the only experienced batsman Chanderpaul was dismissed by Vaas - lbw for 13.

Cautious defence was needed for the West Indians, and Sylvester Joseph and Narsingh Deonarine provided it, eking 48 runs in 18 overs before Joseph edged to Dilshan at second slip. Deonarine survived, however, as the West Indians were 92 for 5 overnight. That did not last long, though, as Deonarine spooned a return catch to Jayasuriya with the fifth ball of the second morning, and Vaas followed up with inswingers that deceived Denesh Ramdin who was lbw for 13 and Powell who inside-edged for 0. Omari Banks, Tino Best and Jermaine Lawson staged a mini-recovery, however, with the two last partnerships eking out 47 runs, Muttiah Muralitharan removing both while conceding 37 runs. Vaas, meanwhile, was easily the pick of the bowlers, taking six for 22 with his left-arm pace.

After a frantic first four sessions, in which twenty wickets had fallen, Sri Lanka's batsmen again showed control in the second innings. Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya hit boundaries with ease in the opening twelve overs, taking runs at nearly five an over, before Powell and Lawson broke through in successive overs, Powell getting lucky as Atapattu sliced a cut straight to a diving Banks at backward point, while Jayasuriya gave a routine outside edge to Runako Morton. Then, Best entered with a fiery five-over spell that had Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene shaken up, and Jayawardene required medical treatment after one bouncer had smacked into his glove. After that, the batsmen settled into their groove, and lasted until rain stopped play on the second day, with Sri Lanka well on the way to building a challenging target.

Coming out on the third morning, it looked as though West Indies would get something back when Jayawardene and Samaraweera fell in quick succession to Jermaine Lawson, who had been reported to the ICC for chucking (or throwing) the ball, in the second over of the day, but Sangakkara and Dilshan stood firm amid showers, as Lawson and Powell worked diligently without reward. In 35 overs, the pair added 109 runs, as Sri Lanka worked their way towards a big lead. Sangakkara made it to stumps with an unbeaten 135 having hit a 200-ball century, while Omari Banks got two wickets - of Dilshan and Vaas. However, at stumps Sri Lanka were 340 for 7.

Herath and Sangakkara added 35 in nine overs on the fourth morning, as Sri Lanka declared on 375 for 7. Set 378 to win, West Indies were left to face the variations of Muralitharan - who bowled doosras and normal off-spin mixed up together as the West Indian batsmen were comprehensively deceived. Four catches went to the hands of Jayawardene who fielded at silly point - not normally the position where most catches are taken, but then again, this wasn't a usual innings. The West Indians were shown up for what they were - run-of-the-mill domestic players who should never have played international cricket, bar possibly Chanderpaul who made 24, Deonarine who even had the cheek to smash Muralitharan for six before being deceived, bowled for 29, and Denesh Ramdin who scampered together 28. Muralitharan registered his fourteenth ten-wicket-haul in a match, it was the fourth time he had taken more than eight wickets, and Sri Lanka cruised to another 240-run victory - although, in all fairness, it was a difficult pitch to bat on, and the tourists had shown some promise with the bat. It showed that the West Indies desperately needed to sort out their contract problems before the next home season, however - their next away series being against Australia, which even a full-strength West Indies would struggle with. [http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/WI_IN_SL/SCORECARDS/WI_SL_T2_22-26JUL2005.html]

External sources

[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_2005.html CricketArchive]

References

* "Playfair Cricket Annual"
* "Wisden Cricketers Almanack"