Sri Lanka secure consolation win
Sunday, 8 February 2009 14:58Sri Lanka ended India's nine-match winning run with a 68-run consolation success in Sunday's one-day international in Colombo.
Nuwan Kulasekara picked up the wickets of Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina as India struggled in pursuit of 321 in the fifth and final ODI of a series they have nonetheless won 4-1.
Muttiah Muralitharan saw off Yuvraj Singh (73) and got Yusuf Pathan cheaply - and although Mahendra Singh Dhoni (53) and Ravindra Jadeja (60no) kept India in the hunt with a 55-run seventh-wicket stand, the hosts prevailed.
Ajantha Mendis also picked up two late wickets, and Farveez Maharoof bowled last man Ishant Sharma for his second too as India were bowled out for 252 in the 49th over.
India were ragged in the field - after Mahela Jayawardene chose to bat first - and Tillakaratne Dilshan (97) and Kumar Sangakkara (84) set Sri Lanka up for a big score.
India, chasing for the first time in the series, soon lost Virender Sehwag and Raina.
Gambhir was then caught behind, making room to cut - and India were up against it.
Earlier, Dilshan and Sangakkara had put on 143 for the second wicket in Sri Lanka's 320 for eight - and Maharoof weighed in with some handy late hitting.
Dhoni bowled everyone in the team except himself and Gambhir - and Ishant was the pick with three for 60.
Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya (37) made a sound start.
The left-hander was fortunate to survive on 19 when XX Jadeja put him down at point off Irfan Pathan - but the same bowler soon had him caught at mid-off.
Sangakkara was quickly into his stride and reached his half-century off just 46 deliveries.
He eventually fell to a fine running catch by Rohit Sharma at long-on off Yuvraj.
After Thilina Kandamby had made a sprightly 26, Sri Lanka slipped from 209 for two to 277 for seven.
Ishant claimed two wickets in his sixth over - which also saw Dilshan run out by a direct throw from Rohit - but Maharoof's power pushed his team past 300.
