Jayawardene’s century props up Sri Lanka
Agence France Presse

Colombo, March 25: Mahela Jayawardene hit a superb unbeaten century, his fourth in One-Day internationals, to help Sri Lanka to a total of 226 for six wickets in the second match of the series against England played under lights at the R Premadasa Stadium here on Sunday.

On a slow pitch and outfield and against accurate bowling by England, Jayawardene anchored the Sri Lanka innings to score 101 not out off 115 balls, including seven fours.

Jayawardene completed his century in the final over as he took eight runs off Craig White. He scored the last 28 runs off 20 balls with the aid of a runner after suffering some discomfort with his groin at the end of the 45th over.

Sri Lanka found runs hard to comeby after the early loss of skipper Sanath Jayasuriya who was bowled off the inside edge of his bat to the second ball he faced from Darren Gough for nought.

Marvan Atapattu helped Jayawardene in a second-wicket stand of 86 off 127 balls, but the scoring rate never went above four an over.

Atapattu was dismissed for 57 scored off 91 balls with two fours when he was caught at deep backward square leg off Robert Croft. It was his 30th fifty in One-Day internationals.

Indika de Saram, promoted in the batting ahead of Russel Arnold to bolster the scoring rate, helped Jayawardene add 44 off as many balls for the fifth-wicket before he was dismissed for 14.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka: S Jayasuriya b Gough 0, R Kaluwitharana c Hick b Mullally 18, M Atapattu c Caddick b Croft 57, M Jayawardene not out 101, K Sangakkara c and b Croft 6, I de Saram b Caddick 14, R Arnold c Stewart b Mullally 0, K Dharmasena not out 18, Extras: (lb-5, w-3, nb-4) 12, Total (6 wkts, 50 overs) 226.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-33, 3-119, 4-129, 5-173, 6-174.

Bowling: Gough 10-0-52-1, Caddick 10-1-37-1, White 10-0-55-0, Mullally 10-1-37-2, Croft 10-1-40-2.

Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.