Mathews makes mincemeat of India

Angelo Mathews ripped through India's middle order, claiming six wickets as Sri Lanka inflicted a comprehensive 139-run victory over Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men in the triangular one-day series for the Compaq Cup in Colombo.

Sanath Jayasuriya had smacked 98 off just 79 deliveries and Thilina Kandamby hit an unbeaten 91 off 73 deliveries as the hosts piled up a formidable 307 for six, batting first.

India's chase had begun brightly with Dinesh Karthik (16) and Sachin Tendulkar (27) putting on 32 for the first wicket but Karthik was cleaned up by left-arm seamer Thilan Thushara and Tendulkar fell a little later, holing out to mid-on under the pressure of a climbing required run rate.

Rahul Dravid (46) and Yuvraj Singh (16) resumed the chase, but Yuvraj had struggled against Lasith Malinga and was eventually snared by the fast bowler.

Yuvraj had a caught-behind appeal turned down by umpire Billy Doctrove while on nine but Malinga had maintained an immaculate line outside off-stump and eventually got the left-hander to edge one to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Mathews then took charge, getting rid of Suresh Raina for a first-ball duck for his first victim.

He then picked up the wickets of Dhoni (eight), Yusuf Pathan (one), Harbhajan Singh (four) and Ashish Nehra (one) to effectively end India's pursuit.

India collapsed from 108 for three to 139 for nine and finally 168 all out in 37.2 overs when Ajantha Mendis picked up the final wicket of Ishant Sharma (13).

Mathews finished with six for 20 from six overs.

Jayasuriya and later Kandamby had given the Sri Lankans the knocks they dearly needed to make this match a contest and had left the home side in charge from the start.

The left-handed veteran from Matara, whose place in the side was under threat due to a string of poor performances, had taken advantage of an ordinary performance from India's new-ball bowlers to get his team off to a flyer.

Tillakaratne Dilshan had given his side impetus earlier on, cracking the first ball from Nehra for a four past the point boundary.

More runs flowed in that over and the next from Nehra as the left-arm seamer was quickly clubbed out of the attack. He leaked 21 runs from his first two overs.

Jayasuriya was circumspect at the start but he soon changed gears and accelerated quickly towards a half-century even while putting on 57 for the first wicket in quick time.

Jayasuriya then lost Dilshan, but he went on to reach his 68th half-century, getting to the mark off just 45 deliveries with a single off Harbhajan.

Dhoni brought his spinners on inside the powerplay and the run rate dropped as Sri Lanka's brittle middle order showed signs of crumbling.

Mahela Jayawardene (17) was brilliantly stumped by Dhoni off part-time spinner Pathan, Sangakkara (five) was trapped plumb in front by Harbhajan, Mathews (19) fell victim to Raina and Jayasuriya himself fell agonisingly just short of a century, leg before to Nehra.

At 176 for five, Sri Lanka looked in danger of squandering a fine start, but Kandamby and Chamara Kapugedera asserted themselves and in the process revived the innings.

The two had put on 83 for the sixth wicket when a direct throw from RP Singh at cover caught Kapugedera short of his crease while the batsman was attempting a single just after the batting powerplay was enforced.

Kandamby, however, hammered the bowling around, racing past his third ODI half-century and coming tantalisingly close to a century even while he took Sri Lanka past the 300-run mark.

Sri Lanka's batting powerplay - the last five overs of the innings - yielded as many as 53 runs and India were left facing a daunting task at a venue that has notoriously favoured the team batting first.