Date Posted: April 07, 2008.
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Shivnarine Chanderpaul congratulates Ramnaresh
Sarwan on his century - DigicelCricket.com - Brooks
La Touche Photography |
The West Indies on Sunday completed a six wicket victory
over Sri Lanka on the fourth day in the second and final
Test match of the series, played at Queen's Park Oval in
Trinidad. The
West Indies began day 4, needing 253 runs for victory, a
total that - given the West Indies record in recent
years and the history of the Oval, seemed a difficult task.
Only two times previous had larger totals been successfully
chased for victory and in the past eight years the
West Indies had failed to register a victory at the historic
grounds.
Having garnered a 16 run lead by scoring 294 in the first
innings, the West Indies squandered an awesome opportunity
on the third day to demolish Sri Lanka after having them in
their second innings on 99 for 6. Thanks to 125 from
Samaraweera the visitors scored 268 runs setting the Windies
253 to make with two days left.
Sri Lanka was banking on the masterful Muralitharan and ever
dependable Vaas to dismantle the batting line-up and secure
a first ever Series win for Sri Lanka on the heels of their
first ever test win in the region, in game one in Guyana.
They had early success, capturing the Captain Gayle and
debutant Chattergoon with just 24 runs on the board. Marlon
Samuels and Sarwan took the score to 73 before Samuels
fell victim to Vaas for 11. The demolition was not to be,
however, as Vice Captain Sarwan and former Captain
Chanderpaul came together and with sound patient batting put
on 157 runs from 42.3 overs. By the time Muralitharan got
Sarwan to edge to Dilshan at Silly Point the team was just
23 runs short of victory with 6 wickets in hand. It was the
only wicket for the wizard who on this Sunday was
masterfully dispatched by the Guyanese duo. Sarwan scored
102 (172b 15x4 0x6) cementing his fourth consecutive 50+
innings with a century. The ever reliable Chanderpaul,
finished on 85 not out.
The victory will resonate throughout the region where
cricket is as much a blood component as is hemoglobin.
Full details of the game may be found at
CricInfo.com.
Ramnaresh Sarwan celebrates his
10th Test century - DigicelCricket.com - Brooks La Touche
Photography |
