Make easy record wins West Indies, hosts Sri Lanka

strong>COLOMBO: Ramnaresh Sarwan struck a masterful 123 to set up a comfortable 61-run victory for West Indies in a World Cup warm-up match against Kenya on Saturday. Hosts Sri Lanka proved far too strong for minnows Netherlands in the other match of the day.

Sarwan, 30, hit 11 fours and five sixes in his 125-ball knock and put on 94 runs with Dwayne Bravo (54) for the fifth wicket to propel his side to 253-8 after they were put in to bat at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Kenya started their chase confidently with Collins Obuya making 68 and opener Seren Waters 43, but they lost quick wickets in the middle overs and were bowled out for 192 off 45.3 overs.

Young West Indies paceman Andre Russell, who is yet to make his one-day debut, impressed the most among the bowlers, picking four wickets for 43 runs off his 10 overs while Kemar Roach took 3-23.

West Indies were in early trouble when veteran Kenyan seamer Thomas Odoyo (3-34) removed openers Devon Smith and Adrian Barath inside the first 10 overs.

Fast bowler Peter Ongondo then had Darren Bravo caught by wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma for 12 and Alex Obanda sent back the experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul (seven) to reduce the West Indies to 65-4.

Sarwan, recalled to the World Cup squad after being dropped in May last year, showed his worth once again in sub-continent conditions as he set out to rebuild the innings.

The right-hander has an excellent one-day record in India, where West Indies play five of their six World Cup group games. He has played 15 matches there with an average of 57.30 and five half-centuries.

Dwayne Bravo provided solid support to Sarwan before Steve Tikolo brought an end to his 56-ball innings that included six fours and a six.

Kenya have played every World Cup since 1996 and pulled off a couple of surprises.

They beat West Indies in 1996 and even qualified for the semi-final in 2003.

Kenya and the West Indies are in different groups in this edition of the World Cup starting on February 19 in Dhaka.

MORALE BOOSTER FOR SRI LANKA

Hosts Sri Lanka proved far too strong for minnows Netherlands, posting a crushing 156-run victory in a morale-boosting World Cup warm-up match on Saturday.

Sri Lanka, runners-up at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, scored 351-5 off their allotted 50 overs even without prolific run-getters Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who did not bat.

The Netherlands, who have not beaten an ICC full member country in their previous three World Cup appearances, were bowled out for 195 in the 48th over at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.

The highlight of their innings was a fighting 76 by Tom de Grooth, who cracked one six and 10 fours in his 96-ball knock. He added 80 for the fifth wicket with Bas Zuiderent (38) and 62 for the seventh with Atse Buurman (25).

Fast bowler Dilhara Fernando finished with 4-43 for Sri Lanka, while seamer Thisara Perera and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath bagged two wickets apiece.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (78), Thilan Samaraweera (60), Chamara Silva (54) and Chamara Kapugedera (50 not out) earlier made the most of a mediocre Dutch attack, each scoring a half-century after the hosts elected to bat.