Gale Gunawardena annihilates West Indies

The essence of the Sri Lankan win was the way the youngsters have taken over the mantle from seniors. Take someone like Gunawardena, who saw two of the team’s star batsmen Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu fall early in the morning, much earlier than even the goodly crowd had settled in this picturesque ground.

Gunawardena was unnerved and unrelenting. If a batsman hits 19 boundaries in a knock of 132, you know it’s something special. Else, the bowling had to be of club level, not more than gifting dollies in weekend cricket.

On Wednesday, it was both. Together with the diminutive Jayawardena, Gunawardena shred the indisciplined West Indian bowling attack to pieces and killing their rivals’ chances with an almost run-a-ball second-wicket stand of 160. The West Indians were hit by the left-right combination and with the experience of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh missing, they couldn’t fight back. If Jayawardena’s 71-ball 72 was more stylish and orthodox of the two, Gunawardena risked his life once too often and played some attacking, yet unorthodox shots. Two dropped catches were a gift anyway on a lucky day for him.

The result was maximum for the Sri Lankans. The horrors of 10-2 were soon forgotten and they set a daunting task for the West Indians just one Brian Lara and a target of 288 in 50 overs!

The tall and gangling Zoysa, however, finished it off in minutes.

Pinch-hitting wicket-keeper batsman Courtney Browne paid the price for his impeteousity, stand-in skipper Sherwin Campbell misjudged a single, Lara played a nothing shot while Sylvester Joseph was clueless as Zoysa bent his back but still maintained a good line.

Lara was a big letdown. Skipper Jimmy Adams’ last-minute withdrawal due to an injury put more pressure on the left-hander and quite clearly, Lara seemed weighed down by that. Give it to the man, how long can carry on alone? The youngsters the West Indians have been banking upon don’t even look international level. Not even a single batsman knew what the Lankan off-spinning master Muthiah Muralitharan was bowling. They didn’t give him any wicket but could barely muster nine runs off his 10 overs!

Now, that’s a stark contrast to the Lankans. If you happened to pass by their dressing room after the game, the youngsters were doing all the singing and dancing while the West Indians, heads hung in shame, packed their stuff and were waiting for the team coach to take them out of the stadium.