Lanka thump Windies by four wkts

Colombo, Feb 15 (PTI) Sri Lanka produced a solid battingdisplay with captain Kumar Sangakkara leading from the frontas they scored an emphatic four-wicket win over West Indies intheir warm-up game ahead of the Cricket World Cup here today.

Chasing 282 for a win, Sri Lanka romped home with 15balls to spare with Sangakkara top-scoring with a 89-ball 71in their second and final World Cup warm-up game at RPremadasa Stadium.

Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (62) and Thilan Samaraweera(55) were the other main contributors.

Sri Lanka, who had beaten the Netherlands by 156 runs intheir first warm-up game on February 12, open their World Cupcampaign against Canada at Hambantota on February 20.

Sri Lanka made a flying start in their run chase withopeners Upul Tharanga (18) and Dilshan putting on 67 runs in10 overs before the former was out.

Sangakkara and Dilshan then stitched on 38 runs for thesecond wicket before the partnership was broken at 105 for twoin the 19th over.

Former captain Mahela Jayawardene (20) fell soon afterwithout contributing much but Sangakkara and Samaraweera tookthe game out of West Indies'' hands with a solid 100-run standfor the fourth wicket.

Sangakkara was out in the 40th over but by that time SriLanka needed less than 50 runs from last 10 overs and thoughSamaraweera could not finish the match, Chamara Kapugedera (18not out) ensured that Sri Lanka surpassed the target in 47.3overs.

For West Indies, Sulieman Benn was the most successfulbowler with three for 40.

Earlier, explosive opening batsman Chris Gayle andwicketkeeper Darren Bravo stuck half-centuries to guide WestIndies to 281 all out after West Indies elected to bat.

Gayle played in his usual flamboyant style, scoring 58off 38 balls with the help of eight fours and a six whileDarren Bravo''s 54 came from 78 balls.

The duo stitched 83 runs for the second wicket in 10.4overs after the other opener Devon Smith was out for athree-ball duck in the first over itself of the bowling ofLasith Malinga.

Runs came thick and fast with Gayle firing on allcylinders, but the opener was soon out by the 12th over andthe pace slowed down a bit after his departure, bowled byMuttiah Muralitharan.

Bravo and first warm-up game centurion Ramanaresh Sarwanthen took charge and stitched a 74-run stand for the thirdwicket as West Indies reached 169 for four by the 29th over.

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