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Monday, Feb 05, 2007
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Jayawardene on song

Special Correspondent

Inexperienced Mumbai bowlers face the music

Mumbai: Mahela Jayawardene, who has never opened in 215 One-Day Internationals and 140 Tests, walked out with Upul Tharanga and flayed Mumbai's bowlers at the Brabourne Stadium here on Sunday.

His illustrious colleague and belligerent opener Sanath Jayasuriya — rested for the warm-up match with Upul Chandana and Lasith Malinga — watched the proceedings from the Patiala dressing room at the Cricket Club of India. Jayasuriya may have even wished to go out in the middle for a crack at the inexperienced home seam attack that was in the hands of Mundeep Mungela and Kshemal Waingankar — both of whom played one Ranji match each this season — and Murtaza Hussain.

Sri Lanka made 318 for eight in 50 overs and in reply the home team was skittled out for 162 in 38 overs.

Jayawardene and Tharanga made the most of the only game before the first one-dayer at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata next Thursday by putting on a century plus stand before the Sri Lankan skipper holed out to deep mid-wicket.

Jayawardene struck eighteen 4s and a 6 in his breezy knock of 91.

Tharanga made 48 and thereafter Marvan Atapattu and Tillakaratne Dilshan helped themselves to half centuries.

Iqbal impresses

Given a first big chance against a visiting team, Mumbai's budding left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla impressed with three for 38 in his 10 overs.

Paul Valtathy made 36 with a few big blows as Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Zoyza and leg-spinners Malinga Bandara dominated the proceedings in the second session.

Later Kumara Sangakkara said: "It's just been a case of challenging ourselves, getting out of comfort zones and making sure we practise properly. So all the guys are looking forward to a good competition. Any kind of cricket before a big tournament is good because you tend to keep good habits and the more cricket you play the better prepared you are."

On Jayawardene's decision to open the innings against the Mumbai XI, Sangakkara said: "Everyone is prepared to bat at any position. It doesn't matter whether you are used to one position throughout your career.''

The scores:

Sri Lanka 318 for eight in 50 overs (M. Jayawardene 91, U. Tharanga 48, M. Atapattu 52, T. Dilshan 57) beat Mumbai XI 162 in 38 overs (F. Maharoof four for 28).

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