Sri Lanka break one-day record

Sri Lanka 443 for 9 (Jayasuriya 157, Dilshan 117*) beat Netherlands 248 (de Leede 51, Fernando 3-39) by 195 runs
Scorecard

Sanath Jayasuriya on his way to 157 © Charly Booker

Sri Lanka broke the world record for the highest one-day international total in their match against Netherlands at Amstelveen. Four days after battering England into submission at Headingley, they went past the mark of 438 set by South Africa at Johannesburg in March.

Sanath Jayasuriya led the way with a turbo-charged 157 off 104 balls while Tillakaratne Dilshan flayed the bowling with an equally crazy 117 off 79 balls. The Sri Lankans set the new record in the final over, four months after the match between Australia and South Africa at the Wanderers on March 12 where both teams went past 400.

The innings began at an electric pace and never let up. The Sri Lankans were not happy at having to play these fixtures after a tough tour of England and set about venting their frustrations on the Dutch attack. When Kumar Sangakkara fell in the 28th over - following a stand of 149 with Jayasuriya - the score was already 237 and Sri Lanka were well on their way.

After Jayasuriya went, Dilshan took up the charge and crashed boundaries to every corner of the ground. However, such was the freedom with which the batsmen played there was a danger they would get themselves bowled out before reaching the record. With eight wickets down they still needed 30, but Dilhara Fernando managed to stay with Dilshan to push Sri Lanka to the new record.

Netherlands put up a decent show with the bat with Tim de Leede striking 51 off 42 balls with six fours and a six. Most of the top order chipped in before falling as Fernando helped himself to three wickets following an expensive opening burst from Lasith Malinga. Alexei Kervezee, making his ODI debut at 16, chipped in with a well-made 47.

Kaushal Lokuarachchi, a legspinner who wasn't part of the main tour squad, rocked up out of nowhere and grabbed three wickets, while Malinga Bandara chipped in with a couple as the Sri Lankan attack went through the motions following their earlier mayhem with the bat.