Mahela Jayawardene struck a run-a-ball 52 as Sri Lanka reached 173 for six in 40 overs against the West Indies in the opening match of the Tri-nation One-Day series at Sabina Park here today.
Sunil Narine picked up two wickets to slow the Lankan innings after Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga got the visitors off to a solid start putting on 62 runs for the first wicket in just over 13 overs.
Skipper Angelo Mathews was batting on 38 off 55 balls and giving him company was Jeevan Mendis, as the Lankans inched towards the close of their innings.
Pacer Ravi Rampaul came back for his second spell to remove Lahiru Thirimanne and Nuwan Kulasekara as Sri Lanka slumped to 159 for six in the 38th over.
Jayawardene hit seven boundaries during his 52-ball knock after West Indies skipper Dwayne Bravo opted to bowl on winning the toss on overcast conditions.
Tharanga had made 25 off 43 balls before Bravo had him caught behind with a short of a length delivery that angled across the left-hander in the 14th over of the innings.
The experienced Kumar Sangakkara got the start but could not capitalise as he was sent back by Narine for 17 off 23 balls.
While his first boundary looked patchy, Jayawardeene got into the groove with a typically elegant four between mid-on and mid-wicket off an overpitched ball by pacer Kemar Roach.
The next one, off the same bower, was dispatched through the deep extra cover region.
However, after getting to his half-century with a reverse-swept boundary, Jayawardene found his nemesis in Narine whose tossed-up offspinner got an inside edge and popped up for wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin to take an easy catch.
The next big wicket came in the form of Sangakkara, Narine being the successful bowler again. The left-handed former captain pushed a flighted delivery straight to Kieron Pollard at extra cover.
