Jayawardene shines as Sri Lanka crush Canada

Hambantota, Feb 20 (AFP): Veteran batsman Mahela Jayawardene smashed a sparkling century as Sri Lanka crushed Canada by 210 runs in their opening World Cup match at Mahinda Rajapakse Stadium on Sunday.

The 33-year-old scored his ton off 80 balls for his 13th one-day hundred, and the fourth fastest in World Cup history, which boosted his team's total to 332-7, much to the enjoyment of a sell-out 35,000 crowd.

New-ball bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara (3-16) and Thisara Prerea (3-24) combined to bundle Canada out for 122 in 36.5 overs.

The lop-sided contest would have given weight to the International Cricket Council's decision to restrict the next World Cup, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2015, to the top 10 teams, minus minor nations.

Earlier in the day New Zealand had mauled Kenya by 10 wickets in Chennai, after bowling out Kenya for just 69.

Canada, who promised much by putting up a valiant fight against England during their 16-run defeat in a warm-up last week, found the co-hosts too tough to handle in the Group A clash.

"The real star was Mahela Jayawardene," said Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara.

"Once we got the foundation and that solidity we were able to launch and go beyond 300."

Canada captain Asish Bagai admitted chasing such a huge target was always going to be a tough proposition.

"Two world-class players took the game away from us and 330 was always going to be a tough ask," he said.

Sangakkara mixed up his bowling options as Canada lost wickets at regular intervals once their most experienced batsman John Davison had been bowled off Perera's first delivery of the second over.

Hard-hitting Rizwan Cheema top-scored with 37, including two sixes off world record wicket taker Muttiah Muralitharan, while skipper Ashish Bagai, with 22, showed some resistance.

Jayawardene had laid the foundation for Sri Lanka's total with an invaluable third wicket partnership of 179 with Sangakkara, who made 92.

Jayawardene and Sangakkara built on the platform set by opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (50) after Sri Lanka won the toss at this new ground which became the 177th one-day venue.

Jayawardene completed his hundred with a single off spinner Davison after facing just 80 deliveries - the fastest by a Sri Lankan in the World Cup, beating Sanath Jayasuriya's 85-ball ton against Bangladesh at Port of Spain four years ago.

But Davison dismissed him in the same over, caught at short fine-leg after Jayawardene had hit nine boundaries and a six.

Sri Lanka lost a cluster of wickets in the death overs, but Angelo Mathews (21) and Thilan Samarwaweera (18 not out) ensured they got past 300.

Dilshan (50) and Upul Tharanga put on a quick 63 for the first wicket by the 12th over before a mix-up between the two sent Tharanga back, run out for 19.

Dilshan fell just after scoring his third World Cup half-century, holing out at deep cover to Davison after hitting eight boundaries off 59 deliveries.

It was then left to Jayawardene and Sangakkara to punish a hapless Canadian attack, depleted by an injury to spearhead Henry Osinde who walked off the field due to a hamstring problem after bowling only 13 balls.

Jayawardene, who survived two caught behind referral appeals against spinner Jimmy Hansra, upped the tempo by hitting the same bowler for the first six at this ground.

He then clobbered four boundaries in successive overs from Davison, but the veteran Canadian broke the partnership by having Sangakkara caught and bowled.

Sangakkara hit seven fours and a six during his 87-ball knock.

Sri Lanka now face Pakistan in their second match on February 26. Pakistan play Kenya here on Wednesday.

ICC World Cup: New Zealand thrash Kenya by 10 wickets

CHENNAI: New Zealand crushed Kenya by 10 wickets in a totally lop-sided Group A match for a perfect start to their World Cup campaign on Sunday.

World Cup 2011: India beat Bangladesh by 87 runs

Sehwag, Kohli set up strong Indian win in World Cup opener

Mirpur: Played like the World Cup favourites, check. Negated the toss and dew factor, check. Outbatted the opposition, check. Avenged the 2007 defeat, check. Gave the 2011 World Cup a memorable start, check.
Bangladesh's famed spin attack bled before a stunned Mirpur crowd as Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli plundered hundreds to set up a strong 87-run win to begin the World Cup. The home fans had little to cheer today except Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan's brisk fifties, the dismantling of Sreesanth's five wayward overs and Sachin Tendulkar's clumsy run-out.
On a slow wicket at a venue where sides chasing under lights are significantly advantaged, India were inserted by Shakib Al Hasan. They had to out-bat Bangladesh because of the dew and they did by posting a mammoth 370-4.
Sehwag batting with a runner threatened to score the second ODI double hundred. He eventually fell on 175 in the 48th over before the consistent Kohli completed an 83-ball hundred on World Cup debut. Munaf Patel (4-48) and Zaheer Khan (2-41) bowled tidily but there had to be only one result today.
Sehwag has stated his desire to last the full 50 overs. He came out in a mood to attack, and it didn't seem he'd last the course. The first ball of the tournament --- a short, wide ball from the young Shafiul Islam, was slashed through point for four. Sehwag was in a mood to bash everything, and Bangladesh's seamers seemed nervous.
Shafiul and Rubel Hossain bowled trash in the first three overs --- short and wide to Sehwag, and on the shins to Tendulkar --- and 32 runs were quickly added. Shakib then brought on spin and the inevitable slow down occurred.
Sehwag wanted to attack them too but Abdur Razzak and Shakib initially gave him no room to free his arms. Sehwag kept making room or stepping down to them, getting the odd ball away for four, and it seemed this risky approach would cost him soon. It was only after Tendulkar's wicket that Sehwag settled down for a long innings.
Tendulkar fell trying to steal a single to Shakib's throwing hand at midwicket. The veteran playing his sixth World Cup ran blindly down the pitch only to see Sehwag remaining firmly behind his crease. Gautam Gambhir then joined Sehwag for a quick 39, but this was the sideshow compared to what was follow.
Kohli quietly moved to a fifty (46b) while Sehwag led the show, frequently going aerial against the spinners. As Kohli's innings blossomed, the two attacked the straight boundary and midwicket with scary regularity.
Kohli later said Sehwag was egging him on to hit a bigger six than him. "He was teasing me that I was just clearing the ropes and he was hitting sixes into the stands," Kohli said after the innings.
Bangladesh's bowlers had no degree of control during the 203-run partnership for the third wicket. Even the cool-headed Shakib seemed so freaked out at the thought of bowling at the batsmen, he began bowling wide outside off-stump and got penalised three times for wides.
Sehwag had to call Gambhir to run for him after being struck on the knee. He was on course for a double-hundred but the blow softened him up. Thereon, his one-point agenda became bashing every delivery in his arc. He played on to Shakib and seemed quite tired by then.
Imrul Kayes gave Bangladesh the ideal start, tearing into Sreesanth who went for 24 in his third over. Bangladesh moved to 51 in five but Kayes fell as soon as Munaf Patel replaced Sreesanth.
Munaf operated within the stumps and was difficult to hit. Kayes played on trying to force him through the covers and Tamim pulled a straight ball to midwicket.
There will be better days for Bangladesh in the World Cup, but India's campaign as hot favourites couldn't have begun better.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 -Teams & Venue

Aravinda de Silva: World Cup Preview

The 1996 World Cup was very special for all of us Sri Lankans, especially those who featured in it. It was great that I could play the way I did in the semifinal against India in Kolkata and then in the final against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. I made an impact both with the bat and the ball. That century (107) and three wickets (3-42) proved crucial as we beat Australia by seven wickets.

Even though people may think that anger propelled me to play the way I did, especially after Australia refused to play in Sri Lanka due to security reasons. However, that wasn’t the case. There was no anger, just the motivation to win the Cup for all the people back home.

In a situation like that, in a Cup final, one has to keep one’s head about. We had to counter-attack, considering the situation we were in. That’s the way we played from the beginning of the tournament. It changed the way One-Day Internationals are played.

Everyone’s looking forward to this World Cup more so because it’s very evenly poised. Almost all top teams have the chance to lift the trophy. I don’t see anyone in particular as the real favourites. It will depend on the day and how the teams handle pressure. There’ll be pressure on all teams and not just the hosts India and Sri Lanka. What that means is that there’s opportunity for minnows to cause a few upsets, for they are the ones with nothing to lose and can go all out.

From Sri Lanka’s point of view, a lot will depend on Kumara Sangakkara. He is the captain, the wicketkeeper and one of the main batsmen of the team, the team revolves around him. Apart from him, there are Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan, two very accomplished batsmen in the line-up. The three of them have to click almost every game for Sri Lanka to do well.

Our batting is pretty set and in the bowling too, I think we are well-balanced and have a lot of variety. We have Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando and Nuwan Kulasekara. One can never discount the greatness of Muttiah Muralitharan. He is still as motivated and rearing to go. And of course there’s Ajantha Mendis. It’s an interesting mix.

There’s a lot of talk about how Mendis has been figured out by all teams and there’s no mystery element left to him, which was his main weapon. But, I think he is still as capable of winning matches as before. Over time, it is but obvious that teams will understand your style better and read you better. But that doesn’t mean his talent is on the vain.

It was a very difficult decision and a very emotional moment for me when it was decided that Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas have to be left out from the World Cup squad. They’ve been my teammates for such a long and they are such fabulous players with great records to back. But at the end of the day, as a selector, I have to do the right thing. I have to pick fifteen of the best available players on current form. Taking that into account, I don’t think it would have been possible to include them.

All in all, I think we have a good team going into the World Cup. A lot of people are trying to draw parallels between this team and the one that won the tournament in 1996. I don’t really see any similarity, both teams are different and both have their own strengths and weakness. I think the batting was much stronger in 1996 but this time around we have a much better bowling attack. There’s a lot of variety as well as experience. We have a lot of match-winners in the attack. But at the end of the day, it’s a team effort and the whole team has to click.

I have been asked that there is a possibility of me becoming the first man to win the World Cup as a player and as a selector. Of course, that will be wonderful. But, even Krishnamachari Srikkanth has that chance.

Aravinda de Silva is Sri Lanka's Chief Selector and was instrumental when Sri Lanka won their maiden World Cup in 1996 where he scored a brilliant century in the finals.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

Artistes perform at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Dhaka

India vs New Zealand Cricket Match Update

After opting to bat first, India posted 360 for 5 in its 50 overs. New Zealand was bowled out for 243 after 43.1 overs in its chase, as India won by 117 runs.