Sangakkara carries Sri Lanka's fortunes

Tea Sri Lanka 233 and 338 for 4 (Sangakkara 111*, Mathews 33*) need 154 runs to beat Pakistan 299 and 425 for 9 dec

When play started on the final day, Pakistan would have fancied their chances of pulling off a consolation victory. But by tea, with Kumar Sangakkara grinding the bowling into the SSC dust, those hopes had receded markedly, with the attack looking fairly innocuous on an utterly placid pitch. Thilan Samaraweera had contributed a classy 73 to a partnership of 122 with Sangakkara, and as much as Younis Khan shuffled his bowling pack, only one wicket came in 52 overs. Sri Lanka needed 154 from 38 overs for an improbable triumph, but survival rather than urgency was the predominant theme of the afternoon's cricket.

As he showed in Hobart not so long ago, Sangakkara is capable of dazzling counter-attacks in pressure situations. This though was all rearguard and little flair, with occupation of the crease the main mantra. The odd languid drive through the covers, or the precise sweep to the spinners would occasionally reveal some intent, but by and large, circumspection was the name of the game.

With Angelo Mathews showing only brief glimpses of his shotmaking potential, the run rate slowed quite a bit after Samaraweera's dismissal soon after lunch. He had been afflicted with cramp, and was then struck a glancing blow on the helmet by Mohammad Aamer before a doosra from Saeed Ajmal was nicked behind.

Apart from a brain-fade where he nearly handled the ball after digging out a yorker from Younis, Samaraweera had constantly challenged the bowlers, never allowing them to settle into a rhythm. Danish Kaneria, the scourge of Sri Lanka's first innings, was attacked and only Ajmal managed to exercise any real control.

Younis was also badly let down by Umar Gul, who struggled with no-balls and served up dross with the second new-ball. Each mistake was pounced on by Samaraweera, whose classical drives invoked another age. Pakistan still had a slight edge, but with no Flintoff-like talisman to turn to, Younis' brow became increasingly furrowed as the afternoon wore on.

Cricket: Pyrford go top at Purley

Want TO pLAY bINGO Gmes

Surrey Champs Division One
Purley v Pyrford
PYRFORD edged their way to the top of the table after this nerve-jangling two-wicket victory.

A middle-order collapse, while chasing 183, almost put paid to their hopes of taking the 13 points they richly deserved — before Martin Snow’s cover drive with an over to spare sealed the triumph.

Skipper Rob Pole won an important toss, with the wicket damp at one end and prompting thoughts that it may have been prepared that way to help the hosts’ seam attack.

Bowling first, they failed to get a wicket in the first hour as Purley made their way to 30 before Chris Millhouse made the breakthrough and wickets began to fall more regularly.

After a disappointing lunch — with only Tuna pasta salad on offer and at least half the Pyrford team preferring to go next door to the pub to pay for food rather than eat fish — Purley were on 80-5.

They managed to move on to 140-6 before Craig Woods took a vital wicket and the hosts could only edge towards their final total.

With what Pole described as the best seam attack in the division, Pyrford knew they were up against it but made a good start through Jon Hedges and Rob Pole, Hedges taking a few bruises as the home team insisted on sticking to plan A — bouncers.

Once Pole was trapped lbw, Stephen Moreton and Ben Hunt moved the score on aggressively to 120-3 — at which point the wheels fell off as Hunt (trying to hook and caught behind), Craig Woods (poor shot) and Liam Steel (bowled) were out.

As the tension mounted, Pyrford needed seven off the last two overs and were helped by the keeper letting go two byes — before he missed a stumping and allowed another three.

Another quick single followed before Snow’s cracking shot saw Pyrford up to 184-8 and sparked relief among the visitors who had been the better side all day.

Purley was deducted a point for slow overs bowled — not enough in Pole’s view.

“If we had batted first we’d have been there until about 8.20pm,” he said. “It was getting dark anyway towards the end so it was difficult. They just wanted to bowl bouncers all day, possibly to use up more time.”

Want TO pLAY bINGO Gmes

ICC World Twenty20 Teams- 2009

• Australia
• Bangladesh
• Bermuda
• Canada
• England
• India
• Ireland
• Kenya
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Pakistan
• Scotland
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• West Indies
• Zimbabwe

West Indies labour in huge chase

England's batsmen took their turn to set up an emphatic victory as the home England has scored 328 for 7 wickets prior was played excellent perfumes in the team total game his performed was good and its amazing shots are played some time is played a some shots in this game and is career-best 87 and is given a good partnership with Owais Shah and shah also played a greate shots in this game and is playd 75 runs. powered England to an imposing 328 and once Chris Gayle fell early there was never any chance of West Indies getting near.

England can't be blamed for making it a one-sided contest and a one-sided series They have done all that could have been asked of them in the opening weeks of the season, following up their convincing Test wins with efficient displays of one-day cricket and strauss is played good game wit shah and prior and batting first was a useful experience as it meant they had to pace the innings and assess what a decent target would be.

end of the game 328 was the highest ODI total at Edgbaston, and their sixth highest of all time and westindies players was really underpresser afetr Andrew Strauss,in his last international outing before the Ashes, and Ravi Boppara was opend with a stand of 81.England's use of the batting Powerplay has often come under scrutiny, but here they made full use of it by adding 55 in five overs as Prior and Shah cut loose and clean late striking meant 98 off the last 10.

if they were to have any realistic hope of chasing down for 329 score, West Indies needed a big innings from their captain and good score required from the power play, but after two early boundaries Gayle fell in the third over when he spooned an attempted pull to mid-on. After a brief shower, Sarwan opened his account with consecutive fours off Stuart Broad only to fall in the next over when he miscued a drive to cover where Strauss held a smart one-handed catch jumping to his left this is a greate catch for strauss.

Bravo at least provided a momentary spark with two sixes off Dimitri Mascarenhas, but his fun ended when the deserving Tim Bresnan trapped him on the back foot. From there the game drifted towards a soporific finish, a suitable climax to a tour that won't linger long in the memory. It must be hoped that the ICC World Twenty20 can spark the summer into life.