Sri Lanka complete historic series whitewash

As sure as night follows day the dismissal of Brian Lara singled the end for West Indies as they slipped towards their third consecutive defeat to give Sri Lanka their first ever series whitewash in their 19 year Test history at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Monday.

Caribbean hopes, faint as they were, had largely rested on the Trinididian man of the series, who has performed with astonishing consistency throughout the series, scoring 688 runs, the second highest aggregate ever in a three-Test series after Graham Gooch's 752 against India in 1990/1.

But although he scored 130, his third hundred of the series and second of the match, he eventually fell - to widespread shock - when Nuwan Zoysa slipped an inswinging yorker through his defenses.

Thereafter, it was just a matter of time before the inevitable, as Chaminda Vaas scythed his way through the West Indies in a supremely skillful exhibition of reverse swing bowling on a bone dry pitch offering fast bowlers scant assistance.

West Indies, who had started the day on 145 for two, were bowled out for 262, as they lost five wickets for 18 runs after the dismissal of Lara. Sri Lanka's openers knocked off the 26 runs needed for victory in 5.3 overs.

Vaas finished with career best figures of seven for 71 in the innings and 14 for 191 in the match, which were the second best figures by a Sri Lankan after the Muttiah Muralitharan's 16-220 at the Oval in 1998.

Vaas bowled heroically throughout much of the morning, taking the other key wicket of Ramnaresh Sarwan, who also ended the series with an average in excess of 50, with a full-length outswinger that veered away sharply to take the edge of his bat, to end a stubborn 141 run partnership (161 for three).

Carl Hooper - who may be now pondering the wisdom of coming of retirement as West Indies losing run overseas extended to 21 losses in 25 games - supported Lara for 39 minutes before he missed Muttiah Muralitharan's straighter ball and was stumped (203 for three).

Marlon Samuels became one of five tourists to be dismissed for a duck when he propped forward and was caught at bat-pad by Mahela Jayawardene second ball.

Then, just before lunch, Zoysa, who had replaced Vaas, showed just how hard the Sri Lankan's have worked on reverse swing as he unlocked Lara's defense with a 70-over old ball.

Mervyn Dillon and Ridley Jacobs survived for 24 minutes after the interval, despite incessant appealing, before Dillon was caught at mid-off off the leading edge (258 for seven).

The innings quickly folded as only two further runs were added: Dinanath Ramnarine had failed to score a single run all series and it was not much of a surprise when he was trapped lbw without scoring, whilst Pedro Collins and Marlon Black were also trapped lbw in Vaas's next over.

The beaming smiles on the faces of the Sri Lankan players said it all. Eight months ago they had watched glumly from the same balcony, as the Barmy Army cheered Nasser Hussain's team for their unexpected victory. But since then the team has discovered greater self-confidence and have won six out of their last seven games.

Sri Lanka now move into an equal third place with England in the ICC Test Championship. It's not quite like winning the world cup, but it's Sanath Jayasuriya's greatest moment of his captaincy.

For President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Sri Lanka's success couldn 't have come at a better time, with just two days remaining till the general election, and she has organised an impromptu banquet to say thank-you to the players for boosting the spirits of the nation. It is only deserved.