PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad - Sri Lanka, chasing their second Cricket World Cup title, made an impressive start to their 2007 campaign by registering a comfortable 243-run win over Bermuda in their Group B contest at the Queen's Park Oval Thursday.
 
Behind half-centuries from skipper Mahela Jayawardene (85), Kumar Sangakkara (76) and Chamara Silva (55 not out), Sri Lanka compiled 321 for six from their allotted 50 overs, after winning the toss and batting.
 
They then turned in a tremendous performance with their potent pace and spin attack, crushing the Bermuda batting for just 78 from 24.4 overs.
 
Fast bowlers Farveez Maharoof, with four for 23 and Lasith Malinga, three for 10 led the attack while veteran spinner Muttiah Muralitharan finished with two for 28.
 
Only two Bermudian batsmen were able to reach double figures - Lionel Cann with 28 and David Hemp 14.
 
After left-arm speed merchant Chaminda Vaas removed opening batsman Clay Smith (0) trapped in front without a run on the board in the opening over, it was a steady procession to and from the pavilion.
 
Twenty-three year-old Malinga caused serious problems among the Bermudian batting with his pace and hostility, picking up three early wickets to break the backbone of the fragile batting line-up.
 
Malinga prised out Saleem Mukuddem without scoring in the fourth over and struck with the first two deliveries of the seventh over to remove the experienced David Hemp (14) and captain Irving Romaine for a first-ball duck.
 
When he was replaced after five overs, the 22-year-old Maharoof picked up the slack admirably, ending Oliver Pitcher's near hour-long battle for six and then quickly dispatching Dean Minors for four, top-scorer Lionel Cann for a 32-ball 28 and Wayne Borden for six.
 
Earlier, Sri Lanka's captain and Man-of-the-Match Jayawardene smashed six fours and two sixes from 90 balls and shared a 150-run stand for the third wicket with Sangakkara, to snuff the life out of Bermuda's bowling.
 
Sangakkara, who needed 83 balls for his knock, stroked six fours and by the time both were out, Sri Lanka were well on their way to a big total.
 
Silva gave the innings energy in the closing stages, his half-century needing just 45 balls and containing four fours.
 
Openers Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya quickly took advantage of a nervous Bermuda outfit, combining to take 24 runs from the second over bowled by pacer Kevin Hurdle, who was quickly removed from the attack.
 
The pair added 62 off 60 deliveries before the Bermudians got the breakthrough when Jayasuriya (22) was caught at backward point by Pitcher from the bowling off medium-pacer Mukuddem.
 
The mood could have been more jubilant for the small band of  Bermuda supporters who congregated at the Jeffrey Stollmeyer Stand, had Dwayne Leverock accepted a simple catch at first slip off Jayawardene with the very next ball from Mukuddem.
 
There was more to celebrate for the lowly-rated Bermudans when Hurdle was brought back from the pavilion end and quickly had Tharanga (30) well caught low down by wicketkeeper Dean Minors, to leave Sri Lanka on 78 for two.
 
Jawardene and Sangakkara then figured in their enterprising stand, wresting any advantage Bermuda thought they had.


Kamande ended with two for 25 from his 10 overs.

The next Group C match on Friday features the highly favoured duo of England and New Zealand.

 

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