Scorecard

Sri Lanka bowled out the West Indies for a paltry 146 to achieve a 55-run victory on Saturday in the first of three one-day games.

The tourists produced a dazzling mix of swing, seam and spin to leave the home side well short of their target of 202. Muttiah Muralitharan was dominant with three for 17.

Brian Lara's attempt to hold the tail together against intense spin bowling captivated the Queen's Park Oval crowd, but the West Indies skipper ran out of partners.

Sri Lanka stunned the West Indies by removing both openers for a duck in an impressive early salvo.

Wavell Hinds moved too far across the line of Prabath Nissanka's third delivery of the opening over and was clean bowled.

A wooden-legged Chris Gayle misread the swing and edged Chaminda Vaas for wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana to collect with the West Indies on four for two in the third over.

Ricardo Powell coped no better, scoring five before another outswinging Vaas delivery straightened and trapped him lbw.

Ramnaresh Sarwan went on the attack, diving Nissanka imperiously to the on-side boundary, but then whipped the next delivery straight to cover point where Kumar Sangakkara took a fine reflex catch.

Lara provided the only point of resistance when the Sri Lankan spin bowlers came on to mesmerise the lower order.

Lara was unbeaten on 64 when last man Corey Collymore was dismissed lbw by Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Earlier, West Indies dismissed Sri Lanka for 201 in the first of three one-day internationals on Saturday, with pace bowler Mervyn Dillon posting figures of three for 38.

Sri Lanka struggled to cope with the West Indies pace attack, with Romesh Kaluwitharana's plucky 54 the best resistance the tourists could muster in 48.4 overs at the crease.

West Indies skipper Brian Lara won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat, taking advantage of some early moisture in the Queen's Park Oval wicket.

His decision was vindicated when Sanath Jayasuriya edged Dillon's third ball to wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs.

Kaluwitharana waged a gritty war with Dillon and fellow paceman Corey Collymore.

The diminutive opener was hit on the helmet trying to hook a sharply rising Collymore delivery and was also struck a painful blow in the lower ribs.

Kaluwitharana strove to attack and had forged a 46-run stand with Marvan Atapattu (22) when the Sri Lanka captain was caught and bowled offering a leading edge to off spinner Marlon Samuels.

Overcoming the painful blow to his body, Kaluwitharana continued to ride his luck by slashing a string of shots through the offside. He often avoiding the fielders more by luck than judgment.

West Indies made another breakthrough when Kumar Sangakkara (15) sliced a pull attempt for a catch at deep extra cover, giving bowler David Bernard his first wicket at international level despite bowling five wides in the over.

Mahela Jayawardene scored eight before his tentative pull at Dillon presented an easy catch at deep mid-wicket, with Sri Lanka 106 for four.

Kaluwitharana's innings was ended when Wavell Hinds raced to collect the ball from the third man boundary and threw rapidly to achieve the closest of runout calls as the batsmen attempted a third.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (27) and Chaminda Vaas (10) were bowled by Vasbert Drakes and Dillon as the fast bowlers tore into the Sri Lankan middle order.

Kumar Dharmasena offered more resistance with a restrained 40 before giving Dillon another wicket when his attempted leg glance was collected by Jacobs.

The West Indies fielders were on song, inspired by the enthusiasm of 34-year-old captain Lara.

Collymore had Muttiah Muralitharan (three) caught attempting a pull shot and the same bowler ended the innings with a sharp throw to run out Dharshana Gamage for one.

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