Dilshan heap show Sri Lankan hazard

Tillakaratne Dilshan announce his entrance as Sri Lanka's new captain by beating 123 off 134 balls in the tourists' opening game next to Middlesex at Uxbridge.

Middlesex 360 for 8 dec and 26 for 1 lead Sri Lankans 309 for 2 dec (Dilshan 123, Paranavitana 103) by 77 runs.

Tharanga Paranavitana, who had joined Dilshan in an opening partnership of 209, the highest for any touring team alongside Middlesex, went on to make 103 before he connected the skipper in reserved to give other batsman a chance to impress.

Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal added a continuous 59 partnership to take the Sri Lankans to 309 for two affirmed. Dilshan delivered a mainly inspiring performance, having seen England captain Andrew Strauss make 151 on his first look of the period for Middlesex.

The visit skipper was drop on 10 by Jamie Dalrymple, low behind at second slip off Anthony Ireland, and once more on 114 by Strauss, diving to his right at point. But between those probabilities he played some wonderful shots which brought 14 fours and a six which was ambitious a long way back over Tom Smith's head.

He was also severe against Gurjit Sandhu, a 19-year-old left-arm seamer making his first-class first appearance, wounding him for three fours in the bowler's first over and driving him throughout the covers with the hit that took him to his hundred.

Paranavitana, a left-hander who is predictable to open with Dilshan in the first Test next to England at Cardiff on May 26, was more anesthetize but struck 15 fours on his way to a hundred from 145 balls.

Thirimanne and Chandimal, who could be challenging for the number six location in the Test side, also played well and, when Middlesex went in again 51 runs ahead, Suranga Lakmal picked up a wicket when Sam Robson played on. They reach the close on 26 for one.

Earlier, Middlesex, 321 for five during the night, added 39 in seven overs before their innings was stopped up at 360 for eight after 100 overs.

There were two wickets for Chanaka Welegedara, the left-arm seamer who will almost certainly share the new ball with Dilhara Fernando in the Test attack, and a second for Ajantha Mendis, the so-called anonymity spinner, who has had a unhappy start to his English summer.

Welegedara had Dawid Malan wedged at mid-on and Tom Smith wedged behind, while Mendis had Anthony Ireland well fixed by Thilan Samaraweera on the midwicket boundary.

Mendis, who took four for 285 in two championship matches for Somerset before tumbling out of the side with a back strain, completed with two for 83 from his 20 overs.

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We like to complete the period on a high: Mahela

Kochi Tuskers Kerala skipper Mahela Jayawardene emphasized on the significance of achieve constancy, after his side's eight-wicket triumph over Rajasthan Royals.

"We require trying and being more reliable, that's a key word in Twenty20 cricket," Jayawardene said. More than the win, the fashionable Sri Lankan was pleased by the manner in which his team achieves it.

"Easy succeed, so happy with that," he said. "The other day we couldn't secure 180, today we executed our plans." With 12 points from 13 matches, the Kochi Tuskers Kerala are located sixth in the points table, and the skipper, following playing his last IPL match of the season, wants his teammates to finish it on a high.

"We want to end off the season on a high, with 14 points, and we'd like to say we had a good season," Mahela, who will be send-off for England to connect the national team, said.

Rajasthan skipper Shane Warne feel his team was 100-120 runs short on the small Holkar Cricket stadium ground.

"It was almost certainly one of those nights when you are 100-120 short. We can simply try as much as we can. I'm arrogant of our guys as they are trying very hard. (But) to misplace four games in a row, we've now made too many mistakes," Warne said.

The famous Australian was dissatisfied that his side failed to carry out to its possible in front of a packed Sunday crowd. "It's unsatisfactory for the fans. Such a great swarm and buzz here," he said.

Brad Hodge, who was affirmed Man of the Match for his all-round show, said the face is still short of where it should be. "We've perform attractive well. We are small of where we require being, but it's coming jointly. Chasing a low total, the plan was to just go in there and play with liberty and get the job done," Hodge said.

"We are up next to Chennai, it's going to be a tough game but with any luck we can pull it off." Hodge also recall the days when he would sink to Warne at the joint Oval.

"It's good for us to come up at this time and put in a good presentation. Warne's got me out abundance of times; I got lucky to be truthful. Used to bowl to him at the Junction Oval."

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Darren Sammy stun Pakistan

 

Darren Sammy rip through the Pakistan tail to give the West Indies with their first Test win in over two years. The Windies triumph in the first Test in chance as Pakistan fell 41 runs short of their victory goal of 219.

Sammy, whose captaincy has come under fire, show the way himself as he took five wickets for 29, charitable his side their first Test victory since they beat England in Kingston in February, 2009.

They wanted only nine overs after have lunch to take the outstanding four wickets. Abdur Rehman's rather attentive innings quickly came to an end as he deceased for six, the last of Ravi Rampaul's four wickets, which came at a cost of 48 runs.

One over later and Pakistan were stressed badly on 163 for eight when Umar Gul was attentive lbw by Sammy for just one. The key wicket of Umar Akmal was then claim as he became Sammy's fourth lbw victim of the innings - and one of a record 20 in the match.

Umar go three runs shy of his half-century and with him went Pakistan's last week hope.Wahab Riaz sustained to show a little disobedience, and they extract another 12 runs from the West Indies before Saeed Ajmal was bowled by Sammy to finish the game with Pakistan on 178.

It was unlucky for Ajmal that he be supposed to be the last man out, as he had taken 11 wickets for Pakistan during the match. The tourists had resume on 80 for three, but the West Indies got an early improve when Rampaul bowled Asad Shafiq in the third over of the day.

Pakistan had additional only three to their quickly total when Shafiq was bowled off his pads for 42. Umar come in to build an expensive partnership with Misbah-ul-Haq who, along with Shafiq, had rescue Pakistan from a place of two for three on Saturday.

Misbah made it to his half-century but was then out soon after, going lbw to Sammy for 52. And Pakistan was rock again when Mohammad Salman was sent back from the second ball he faced, again attentive leg before wicket by Sammy.

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Gilchrist praise Punjab's proven show

Kings XI Punjab 170 for 6 (Valthaty 62, Marsh 46, Irfan 3-28) hit Delhi Daredevils 141 for 8 (Chawla 3-16) by 29 runs.

A 29-run conquest over Delhi Daredevils on Sunday kept Kings XI Punjab floating in the Indian Premier League and skipper Adam Gilchrist credited the win to their all-round scientific display.

"It was a huge win, it gives us two points and will keep us living and a 30-run succeed in T20 cricket helps the net run rate. We will like tonight and believe about Bangalore tomorrow, who is the appearance team of the event," said Gilchrist after Punjab limited Delhi to 141-8 after reorganization 170-6.

"It was tough to tell [whats a good score]. 140 was our original thought but Shaun (Marsh) and (Paul) Valthathy played well. Shaun wrest the proposal and distorted the impetus. We knew receiving 170 would be a hard challenge, even although the boundaries are small here," he added.

The Australian also heap special praise on leg-spinner Piyush Chawla.

"Our seamers bowled well and Piyush was wonderful. He has come back and shown that he is a world-class bowler. He had good manage and great difference, his wrong one was deadly," he said.

Gilchrist also praise his fielders for their outstanding performance on the field.

"There were some huge catches. It is forever hard to take a catch at the border line, I mean to decide if to go for a bound or not, so Ryan doing a great job there. Beside, one or two blemishes, in general the enthusiasm were wonderful," he said.

Delhi Daredevils captain James hope said field cost them the competition at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association stadium.

"I am not sure chance had to do a great deal with it tonight. Our field lost us this game. It is all about taking these half chances. Tonight, it summed up our entire period very much," he said.

Man of the match Chawla was happy to make a booming response after absent out of two preceding matches and said it was the additional bounce which helps him in his three-wicket haul for 16 runs.

"I am actually happy to come back strong after absent out on Pune and Mumbai matches. There was a little extra bounce and it helps me. I was not worried coming into the match because I have played here before. Mandeep and Ryan also chosen up some magnificent catches and it help," he said.

At present at fifth mark, Punjab will take on Bangalore Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers in their last two matches while Delhi, languish at the bottom, and will fight with Pune Warriors in their final excursion of IPL 4.

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