From 1877 until World War One
Between the World Wars
Post War to the WSC Revolution
The Professional Era to the New Millennium
The New Millennium and Beyond
Other Pages
Home Page
Article Archive
How the System Works
Frequently Asked Questions
Statistical Points of Interest
Current and Future Series Predictions
Links
Site Map
Contact Us
Get Free e-mail ratings updates
Galle
13 - 17 November 2001
West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first.� Sri Lanka broke through in the seventh over to dismiss Gayle (9) with the score at 1 for 15.� This was their only success in the first session of the series with West Indies going to lunch at 1 for 85.� �Sri Lanka again broke through early in the session to dismiss Ganga (47).� However, West Indies added 125 runs in the session to assume control of the Test.� At tea, West Indies was 2 for 210.� The Sri Lankans again took only one wicket in the evening session when they dismissed Sarwan (88) when the score was 3 for 240.� By stumps, Lara had passed his 16th Test century as the West Indies took the total to 3 for 316 and looked set for an enormous first innings.
Sri Lanka dismissed Hooper (69) in the half hour before the lunch interval of day two as the West Indies added another 93 runs in the session to be 4 for 409 at the break.� However, in just over an hour after lunch, the remaining West Indians fell for just 39 more runs.� Muralitharan finally hit form and once Lara (178) fell at 5 for 423, the remaining batsmen collapsed with only Samuels (16) making double figures.� Muralitharan was the most successful bowler with 6 for 126 off 53.4 overs.� Sri Lanka began their reply well, but lost Jayasuriya (25) before the tea break when they were 1 for 44.� West Indies could make no further inroads during the evening session and at stumps Sri Lanka was 1 for 103 needing a further 145 runs to avoid a follow on.
Sri Lanka moved confidently toward the follow on target during the third morning.� In an extended session they added 120 more runs and only lost Atapattu (61) to be 2 for 223 at lunch, 25 runs short of the follow on mark.� They quickly added the required runs before West Indies ran out Jayawardene (99) when he was looking to reach his century at 3 for 308.� At tea, Sri Lanka had moved the total to 3 for 317.� Only an hour of play was possible after tea as bad light stopped play.� When stumps were drawn, Sri Lanka was 3 for 334 needing another 105 runs to erase the first innings deficit
West Indies set about constraining the Sri Lankan scoring and dismissed Arnold (33) early on the fourth morning and later Sangakkara (140) as Sri Lanka added only 69 runs in 150 minutes of play. At lunch Sri Lanka was 5 for 412 still 36 runs behind. They eventually over took the West Indian total during the afternoon session while the West Indies failed to take any further wickets and Sri Lanka was 5 for 504 at tea. Samaraweera (77) fell after tea and then Vass (7), Bandaratilleke (4) and Muralitharan(14) fell quickly before Sri Lanka declared at 9 for 590 leaving Tillakaratne the not out batsman on 105 runs. Ramnarine was the best of the bowlers with 3 for 158 off 58 overs. West Indies lost Gayle (1) as they batted out the remaining half-hour of play and at stumps was 1 for 9 needing 133 runs to erase the first innings deficit.
Sri Lanka turned the screws on the visitors on the final morning taking three wickets before lunch. With Ganga (33), Sarwan (30) and Hooper (6) back in the pavilion at 4 for 92 at lunch the chances of a draw were receding. After lunch the West Indies collapsed completely throwing all their chances away. With Lara (40) and McGarrell (10*) the only batsmen to make double figures, West Indies lost their last 9 wickets for 74 runs to be all out at tea for 144 runs and a lead of 3 runs. Muralitharan was the key destroyer with 5 for 44 off 31.3 overs. Sri Lanka needed only 4 balls after tea to win by ten wickets.
Second Test
Kandy
21 - 25 November 2001
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first.� The West Indies lost the services of Dillon due to injury after he dismissed Atapattu (0) and then Collins was removed from the attach for the remainder of the match by umpires after bowling two beam balls in one over.� Given this, the remnants of the bowlers went on to dismiss Jayasuriya (16), Sangakkara (15) and Arnold (4) as Sri Lanka struggled to 4 for 85 at lunch.� As the pitch settled so did the batsmen and West Indies could only dismiss Jayawardene (88) during the afternoon session just before tea.� Sri Lanka was 5 for 193 at tea and fighting their way back into contention.� However, rain started during the tea break and no further play was possible that afternoon.
The new ball aided the West Indies on the second morning as they claimed the wickets of Tillakaratne (87), Samaraweera (29) and Vass to slip from 5 for 249 to 8 for 249.� Sri Lanka then struggled on to be 8 for 249 when rain started falling and lunch was called early.� However, the rain persisted and no further play was possible.
Rain delayed play until well into the third afternoon.� West Indies tore through the remaining Sri Lankan batsmen dismissing Zoysa (23) and Muralitharan (4) to dismiss Sri Lanka for 288 runs.� Collins was the best of the bowlers with 4 for 78 off 27 overs.� Rain prevented more than 11 more overs of play and when play stopped West Indies was 1 for 39 having lost the wicket of Ganga (0).
Sri Lanka broke the back of the West Indian innings on the fourth morning after dismissing Sarwan (17), Gayle (44), Hooper (23) and Samuels (0) to have West Indies at 5 for 129.� Sri Lanka went on in the afternoon to dismiss the remaining batsmen with only Lara (74) and Jacobs (24) making runs while, incredibly, the last four batsmen made ducks.� West Indies was bowled out for 191 and Muralitharan shared the bowling honours (4 for 54 off 23.4 overs) with Vass (4 for 56 off 22 overs).� Sri Lanka then batted through to tea to be 0 for 23.� West Indies was only able to take the wicket of Jayasuriya (55) during the evening session and at stumps Sri Lanka was 1 for 128 with a lead of 225 runs.
Sri Lanka went about smashing their way to an impregnable position on the final morning.� With just after an hour before lunch they declared at 6 for 224 setting West Indies a target of 322 runs off 83 overs.� Atapattu (84) was the top scorer for Sri Lanka and Ramnarine was the best bowler for West Indies with 4 for 66 off 16 overs.� West Indies lost both Ganga (8) and Gayle (0) in the short period before they went to lunch at 2 for 25.� West Indies batted patiently through the afternoon but lost Sarwan (48) and Hooper (4) to be 4 for 110 at tea.� Needing only to bat out the final session for a draw, once West Indies lost Lara (45) and Jacobs (5) all of the tail except Dillon (19) recorded a pair of ducks for the match as West Indies was dismissed for 190 giving Sri Lanka victory by 131 runs.� Muralitharan was the best of the bowlers with 6 for 81 off 35.5 overs.
Third Test
Colombo
29 November - 3 December 2001
West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first.� Sri Lanka put them on the back foot immediately when they dismissed Gayle (0) and then Ganga (6) to have the tourists 2 for 17 after 7 overs.� However, Sarwan and Lara then battled through to lunch when the score was 2 for 90.� The revival continued after lunch as Lara passed his century and Sarwan passed his half century and by tea West Indies were 2 for 207.� The break through eventually came in the form of a run out as Sarwan (69) departed.� However, West Indies continued piling on the runs and shortly before stumps were well positioned at 3 for 324.
Lara was in control at one end but the West Indians were unable to stay with him on the second morning.� Hooper (56) and later Samuels (4) were dismissed in the first hour and the West Indies were 5 for 359.� However, this was the start of the single digit scores and West Indies lost their remaining five wickets for another 31 runs including Lara (221) for a third double century of his career.� Vass was the best of the bowlers with a career best 7 for 120 off 32.3 overs.� After lunch the Sri Lankans began their reply by losing Atapattu (4) early but then batted through to be 1 for 77.� West Indies broke through twice in the evening session to dismiss Sangakkara (55) and Jayasuriya (85) as Sri Lanka finished the day at 3 for 193.
Sri Lanka started piling on the runs on the third morning.� For the loss of Jayawardene (39) they moved to 4 for 293 at lunch.� The West Indians again only managed one wicket in the afternoon session, with Arnold (65) being caught behind before Sri Lanka went to tea at 5 for 390 having equaled the visitors first innings total.� West Indies went wicketless in the final session as Sri Lanka ended the day at 5 for 477.
West Indies managed to run out Samaraweera (87) at 7 for 510 and then caught Vass (23) on the fourth morning as Sri Lanka went to lunch at 7 for 560.� After lunch West Indies removed Zoysa (10) and Bandaratilleke (25) before Sri Lanka declared at 9 for 627 leaving Tillakaratne not out on 204 runs.� Collins was the more successful bowler with 3 for 156 off 47 overs.� West Indies began to erase the 237 runs deficit by losing their openers Gayle (0) and Ganga (10) to be 2 for 55 at tea.� Sri Lanka was unable to make further inroads during the evening session and at stumps West Indies was 2 for 142 needing a further 92 runs to force Sri Lanka to bat again.
West Indies started the final day desperately needing to stay at the crease for as long as possible. While Lara became the fifth batsman to score a double hundred and another hundred in the same Test, Sri Lanka dismissed Sarwan (66) before the drinks break.� Then in the hour before lunch, Sri Lanka tore through the batsmen dismissing Hooper (9), Samuels (0) and Lara (130) to have West Indies 6 for 247 with a lead of 10 runs.� The remaining batsmen tumbled soon after lunch with only Dillon (8) and Jacobs (31*) troubling the scorer as West Indies was dismissed for 263 runs setting Sri Lanka a target of 26 runs for victory.� Vass was the best of the bowlers with 7 for 71 off 25 overs.� The Sri Lankan openers then secured a ten wicket victory to record their first white wash over West Indies in history.
