Tri-series: West Indies vs Sri Lanka highlights: as they happened

West Indies not allowing a bonus point to Sri Lanka in their 39-run loss (D/L method) means that none of the three teams have cemented their spot in the final. Here are all the highs and lows from the West Indies vs Sri Lanka encounter, as they happened. (Scorecard | Commentary | Match Report)

 

So India take on Sri Lanka in the final league game of the tri-series on Tuesday, which means Sri Lanka will be on the field for the third consecutive day. West Indies will be keenly observing the game as they hope for a Sri Lanka win in order to make it to the final. Catch the POINTS TABLE to find out which team stands where.

 

02:36 (IST): Quotes from the presentation:

Kieron Pollard: "We undid the work we did yesterday, it wasn't right on our part. When you set plans, you have to bowl to the plans. We were all over the shop. You can't set fields for bad bowling. If we are honest with ourselves, our bowling was not up to the mark. Thirty-one extras is totally not expectable. Bravo and Simmons brought us back in the game, but if we are totally honest with ourselves, myself included, we haven't batted well. We always put ourselves in these situations, when we have to wait for other results to go our way. As cricketers, we need to find a way out. It should not have come down to this."

Angelo Mathews: "I am very pleased with the boys, they showed a lot of character, especially yesterday. Sangakkara batted brilliantly, he held the innings together. We had a team talk, and we needed to get runs. Especially with D/L rules, batting first is a disadvantage. It is tough to play around rain delays when batting first. We had to get the runs, and I am glad that we got the runs."

 

Man of the match for his 90 off 95 balls, Kumar Sangakkara:

"I think the wicket was quite spongy, there was a slow high bounce. It needed patience at the start and slogging at the end. If you hang in there, with the new rules, and the wicket getting better, you can get the runs. The real decision is, when the going is tough, are you going to absorb the pressure or are you going to attack? Batting first, you can take the pressure and then catch up in the end. If you have wickets in hand, the advantage is with you. On tough wickets like this, being there in the end helps."

 

02:18 (IST): Game Over - Sri Lanka win by 39 runs (Duckworth-Lewis method) but they do not get a bonus point. West Indies end at 190 for 9 in their 41 overs as Roach and Best remain not out in the. Skipper Angelo Mathews was the best bowler for Sri Lanka, scalping 4 for 29 in 8 overs. Shaminda Eranga took 3 for 46 and Lasith Malinga ended up with 2 for 42. For the West Indies, only Darren Bravo (70) and Lendl Simmons (67) showed the stomach for a fight but their knocks went in vain. The hero of the day has to be Kumar Sangakkara for his marathon 90 off 95 balls that Sri Lanka to a fighting 219 for 8 in 41 overs.

 

02:08 (IST) Ninth Wicket - Jason Holder does not hang around, goes for a wild slog and has his stumps rattled by Angelo Mathews, who picks up his fourth wicket. Kemar Roach and Tino Best at the crease now, with an aim to deny a bonus point. If West Indies go past 184, they will ensure that.

 

02:05 (IST): Eighth Wicket - Darren Bravo holds out in the deep off Angelo Mathews and Sri Lanka sense a win here at Queen's Park Oval.

 

01:59 (IST): Seventh Wicket - Darren Sammy goes and it is Lasith Malinga who strikes again. Sammy, cramped for room with that waist high short ball, goes for a pull and ends up hitting it straight in the air. Malinga comes around and takes the catch. Tony Cozier in the commentary box says, "With Sammy gone, the Windies go to"

 

01:36 (IST) Sixth Wicket - Kieron Pollard's poor form continues as he is squared up by a Malinga ball and ends up edging it behind the stumps to wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara. Pollard went for a duck and Lasith Malinga completes a wicket maiden - the 33rd over! Windies still need 76 runs from 48 balls. Can Darren Bravo and Darren Sammy do it?

 

01:32 (IST): Fifth Wicket - Shaminda Eranga breaks the dangerous partnership and Lendl Simmons has to make the long walk back to the hut. Eranga bowls full outside off and Simmons slashes hard at that, only to be caught in the deep sweeper cover position where Thirimanne is stationed. Simmons hit 67 from 78 balls with 5 fours and 4 sixes.

 

01:26 (IST): Both Darren Bravo and Lendl Simmons reach their respective 11th ODI fifties in some style. Where Simmons thwacked Senanayake over long off for a six, Bravo junior hit the perfect cover drive off Malinga past extra cover for four to reach the milestone. The two have shared more than a 100 runs already. Remember they came together at the crease when the Windies were precariously placed at 31 for 4.

 

01:11 (IST): Bravo and Simmons keeping West Indies in the chase now, with a boundary every over in the last 6 overs. The right-handed Trinidadian danced down the track to a Shaminda Eranga ball and hammered it over the straight pavillion for a massive six in the 29th over. He greeted his next ball with a four past third man. Under 9-an-over required now for the next 12 overs. Very much gettable with Pollard and Sammy still to come.

 

00:58 (IST): Glimpses of Brian Lara in that! Darren Bravo comes down the track to this full toss from Jeevan Mendis in the 25th over and hoicks it over deep long on fence for a huge six!

00:49 (IST): Mathews has excellent figures of 5-1-13-2, he has been a handful for the Windies to handle. Off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake hasn't done too badly either, giving away just 21 from his 6 overs. Windies 75/4 in 23 overs, need another 155 from 18 overs to win.

 

00:34 (IST): FACT - If Sri Lanka win this game with a bonus point, they will qualify for final. For that, they'll have to bowl Windies out for 184 or less.

 

00:19 (IST): The two batsmen in the middle - Darren Bravo and Lendl Simmons - are finding it really tough to face the Sri Lankans. After 15 overs, the hosts are tottering at 42 for 4. Last 5 overs have just yielded 10 runs as the required run rate is rising by every quiet over.

 

23:57 (IST): Fourth Wicket - What's happening there? Devon Smith is the last man to fall, lbw to Mathews. Mathews bowled a fuller length ball around leg and middle which Smith missed while playing a flick shot. A huge appeal, which is upheld by umpire Nigel Long. Smith went for no score. New man in is right-handed Lendl Simmons.

 

23:48 (IST): Third Wicket - Marlon Samuels is gone for zero! Eranga can do no wrong here. He gets one to rise up and Samuels ends up fending it to Mahela Jayawardene at 1st slip, who leaps to take the catch. In the middle now, Darren Bravo and Devon Smith are yet to get off the mark.

 

23:43 (IST): Second Wicket - Johnson Charles is brilliantly caught and bowled by Shaminda Eranga. Charles went for a pull and he got a leading edge that went straight to the bowler and Eranga was sharp enough to judge the catch well on the follow through. Charles too, like Gayle, hit 14.

 

23:38 (IST) First Wicket - Chris Gayle departs and Sri Lanka get a big breakthrough. Angelo Mathews gets one to bounce awkwardly and Gayle is through with the shot, he ends up lobbing it to backward point where Shaminda Eranga takes a simple catch. Gayle hit 14 off 17 balls, including three fours.

 

23:30 (IST): Blow for Sri Lanka as Nuwan Kulasekara is off the field with a split webbing. Kulasekara tried to catch Chris Gayle on his follow through and ball jammed in his fingers. Lahiru Thirimanne finishes the third over which was being bowled by Kulasekara.

 

23:24 (IST): Chris Gayle gets the first four of the West Indies run chase, albeit in a streaky fashion off Shaminda Eranga in the second over.

 

23:03 (IST): For Bonus Point - West Indies need to get 230 in 32 overs. Sri Lanka need to bowl West Indies out for 184 or less to get a bonus point.

 

22:49 (IST): Sri Lanka end at 219 for 8 after 41 overs and West Indies need to chase a revised target of 230 in 41 overs to win the match. Kumar Sangakkara remained not out on 90 (95 balls, 6x4s, 1x6). Nuwan Kulasekara fell for 14 and Sachithra Senanayake was the last wicket to fall for 7. Kemar Roach is West Indies' most successful bowler taking 4 for 27 in 8 overs, Jason Holder took 2 for 50 and Samuels and Pollard took a wicket each for the hosts.

 

22:32 (IST): So Sangakkara and Nuwan Kulasekara have managed a 41-run stand in just three overs. Sri Lanka are 188/6 in 38 overs. With three overs still to go and dark clouds hovering over the Queen's Park Oval, they would look to get as many as they can in order to make the West Indian chase tougher.

 

22:24 (IST): Kumar Sangakkara raises up his 76th ODI fifty. Interestingly, only his third against the West Indies.

22:19 (IST): Sixth Wicket - Jeevan Mendis falls and Kemar Roach has a fourth wicket! Mendis got two fours in his five balls and had unfortunately got a faint tickle to a down-the-leg-side ball from Roach and is caught behind by wicketkeeper Johnson Charles.

 

22:13 (IST): Fifth Wicket - Angelo Mathews the aggressor departs! He tried to make room by moving to the lg side and in a bid to go over the covers, holed out to Devon Smith at backward point. Matthews hit an enterprising 27-ball 30 that was laced with two fours and two sixes. Kemar Roach the wicket taker.

 

22:03 (IST): Players making their way out into the middle after rain delay. The match has been further reduced to 41 overs-a-side now. Six-foot Seven-inch Jason Holder to start off proceedings for West Indies in the 33rd over.

 

21:45 (IST): The covers are coming off and there is bright sunshine at the Queens' Park Oval.

 

21:35 (IST): As feared, rain plays spoilsport, yet again! The pitch and the square are covered and players are indoors! Kumar Sangakkara is on 40* and Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews is on 17*. They were pushing the scoreboard along quite well. Now, the overs will start to get reduced by the passing minute.

 

21:30 (IST): The groundstaff are getting ready as it has become dark at the Queen's Park Oval. Sri Lanka are currently 122/4 after 32 overs. Rain was forecast for 12 noon local time in Port of Spain - which is now.

 

21:19 (IST): Captain strikes it big. Angelo Mathews sweeps Marlon Samuels over deep backward square leg fence for a massive six - the first of the day and the innings in the 28th over.

 

21:11 (IST): Fourth Wicket: The first breakthrough of the morning for the West Indies, courtesy Marlon Samuels. The off-spinner pushes his faster one through and Lahir Thirimanne is beaten for pace and clean bowled. Thirimanne took 73 balls for his 23.

 

20:54 (IST): The first boundary of the day comes from the blade of Kumar Sangakkara in the 22nd over. A punchy straight drive past mid on off Darren Sammy.

 

20:17 (IST): If the weather holds up, the match will start at 20:45 (IST). It will be a 45 overs-per-side game.

 

Monday, Day 2:

20:00 (IST): The official playing time is till 01:20 (IST). So we are likely to have a shortened game.

 

19:30 (IST): Still no signs of resumption of play. The rain has finally stopped now, groundsmen back on field to dry the playing area.

 

19:10 (IST): It is not overtly overcast at Port-of-Spain but slight drizzle still persists under bright conditions.

19:00 (IST): It's the start of Day 2 and rain is still keeping the players off the field for now. Play was to begin now but drizzle has played spoilsport so far. A start in the next half hour or so looks unlikely.

 

Sunday:

Torrential showers have forced the abandonment of play in the fifth match of the Tri-Nation Series between the West Indies and Sri Lanka at the Queen's Park Oval on Sunday. The match will resume, weather permitting, on Monday.

23:15 (IST): The play has been called off due to persistent rain. It will resume on Monday with Sri Lanka 60 for 3 after 19 overs.

21:25 (IST): The rain has stopped and the covers are coming off.

20:55 (IST): The rain is getting heavier now.

20:32 (IST): It's raining at the moment and players have been asked to leave the ground. Meanwhile, Kumar Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne added 31 runs for the fourth wicket before rain came in. Sri Lanka 60 for 3 after 19 overs.

20:08 (IST): Kumar Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne are battling it out in the middle. Tino Best comes into attack. Sri Lanka 50 for 3 after 15 overs.

19:35 (IST): Sri Lanka are in big big trouble here and Kemar Roach is on fire. Dinesh Chandimal's poor form continues. He goes for a drive but misses it completely, ball goes through bat and pad to hit off stump. Sri Lanka 29 for 3 after 6.2 overs. Lahiru Thirimanne joins Kumar Sangakkara.

19:25 (IST): Sri Lanka lose both their openers and both opening bowlers have bagged a wicket each. Mahela Jayawardene (7) edges bouncer to Devon Smith at point off Kemar Roach. Earlier, Upul Tharanga was caught at cover by Darren Bravo off Jason Holder. Sri Lanka 21 for 2 after 5 overs.

19:12 (IST): Upul Tharanga dropped on 5 by Johnson Charles behind stumps off the bowling of Kemar Roach. West Indies missing a regular keeper here. Sri Lanka 16 for no loss after 3 overs.

19:00 (IST): Squads:
West Indies (Playing XI): Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles(w), Devon Smith, Marlon Samuels, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard(c), Darren Sammy, Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Tino Best

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews(c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeevan Mendis, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga, Shaminda Eranga.

18:35 (IST): Team changes for today:

West Indies: Apart from Bravo, who is serving a one-match ban, Sunil Narine is out with injury. Denesh Ramdin has been dropped. Left-hander Devon Smith, 6-foot-7-inch pacer Jason Holder and top order batting allrounder Lendl Simons gets a game.

Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera and Rangana Herath out for Jeevan Mendis and Shaminda Eranga.


18:30 (IST): West Indies win the toss and opt to field against Sri Lanka. News from the Windies camp is that Johnson Charles will keep wickets.

18.00 (IST): Dwayne Bravo is replaced by Lendl Simmons and Kieron Pollard will lead the team.

West Indies have a shot at making the final if they beat Sri Lanka today. The Lankans are in a bid to stay alive in the tournament as India shall follow this match very keenly.

Dwayne Bravo's men will have to regroup quickly against Angelo Mathews' side, which is flying high after demolishing India in its previous game.

But the West Indies can draw confidence from their earlier game against Sri Lanka which the hosts won comfortably.

The West Indies, which seemed like an on-a-roll side, was brought back to the ground rather brutally on Friday. At first their bowlers were hammered by a rampaging Kohli and later their batsmen had no answer to the questions that a disciplined Indian attack posed.

The over-reliance on Chris Gayle's pyrotechnics also stood out as no Caribbean batsman showed the stomach for a fight after his early departure.

Johnson Charles was the only one to give a decent account of himself with a 39-ball 45 but he was also guilty of letting slip a good start.

The Sri Lankan batting, on the other hand, was the most decisive factor in their win against India.

Upul Tharanga played a magical knock of 174, which included 19 fours and three sixes. Even if he does not replicate that effort, anything similar would be just enough for the islanders.

Add to this Mahela Jayawardene, who got into the groove with a hundred, skipper Angelo Mathews and Kumar Sangakkara and the Lankan batting order looks formidable from top to middle.

On the bowling front, the Caribbean pace attack would certainly revel in home conditions but they did crumble when faced with an Indian line-up which was willing to wait and apply itself before going for big shots.

Nevertheless, Kemar Roach and Tino Best would pose a challenge and some magic is also awaited from the spin ace Sunil Narine, if he recovers from a finger injury to take the field on the morrow.

The Lankan bowlers bowled magnificently against India and they would be aiming to continue the good work but a Lasith Malinga special is still to be seen in the series.