Date-stamped : 06 Nov97 - 07:13 Report- Dawn Brilliant centuries by Sanath & Aravinda LAHORE, Nov 5: Two brilliant centuries by opener Sanath Jayasuriya (134) and Aravinda de Silva (102), who were involved in a record, unbroken third-wicket partnership of 213 runs in 139 minutes paved the way for a facile eight-wicket win by Sri Lanka over Pakistan on fifth day of the Golden Jubilee Quadrangular Floodlit Cricket Tournament at the Qadhafi Stadium on Wednesday. Even a good total of 280 amassed by the Pakistan team in 49.4 overs, in 216 minutes, thanks mainly to excellent knocks by Ejaz Ahmad (94) and Aamir Sohail (70) could not dampen the spirits of the Sri Lanka batsmen, who played like the true world champions to hit up 281 for the loss of only two wickets in 202 minutes in only 40 overs to register a thumping victory. The Pakistan team with two defeats at the hands of Sri Lanka and South Africa and the West Indies outfit with thrashing by all the three other participating sides are out of the tournament now. Sri Lanka's match against South Africa in the last single league match on Thursday will now be a "dress rehearstal" for the final of the tournament to be held on Saturday. Seldom has any pair of batsmen dominated the Pakistani bowling as did Sanath Jayasuriya and Arvinda de Silva in the match on Wednesday evening. Although the ball seamed in first 10 overs, yet Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis could not trouble the Sri Lankan batsmen. Attempting to take a second dangerous run, opener Marvin Atapattu (23 on 34 balls with three fours) was run out. TV umpire Mian Muhammad Aslam adjudged him run out. The first Sri Lankan wicket fell at the total of 65. The experienced Sri Lankan batsman Roshan Mahanama survived only six minutes at the crease as he edged the fifth delivery he faced which was bowled by Azhar Mahmood towards the second slip where Aamir Sohail held a fine catch. The second batsman was dismissed at the total of 68 without scoring. Sanath Jayasuriya was holding one end up and he continued to consolidate the Sri Lankan position as he was joined by another experienced batsman Arvinda de Silva. Both were cautious at the start of their partnership but later they opened out to hit some marvellous strokes. Jayasuriya found his touch and drove, pulled, cut and swept with the mastery of an attractive batsman. On the other end, first Arvinda lent admirable support to let Jayasuriya complete his century and later himself played some excellent drives. By getting two runs towards mid-wicket off Saqlain Mushtaq, the brilliant Jayasuriya completed his sixth one-day international century. Arvinda de Silva pulled Aamir Sohail gently towards mid-wicket to complete his century. He remained not out at 102 score gathered on 90 balls with the help of 12 boundaries and consuming 139 minutes. The best knock was however, registered by Jayasuriya, which earned him Wills "Man-of-the-Match" award. Jayaruriya's masterly 134 not out were scored on 114 balls while occupying the crease for 202 minutes. He not only hit 13 elegant boundaries but also hit three huge sixes. During this tournament, the teams winning the toss and putting the opposing teams in to bat, have registered victories so far. Dew in the evening at advent of winter season in Lahore not only makes the ball wet and difficult to be held by the bowlers but also makes the job of fielding problematic. None of the six Pakistani bowlers used by Captain Wasim Akram including himself, could pose any problem to the Sri Lankan batsmen who looked in brilliant form in this match. An excellent third-wicket partnership of 122 runs in 103 minutes on 157 deliveries between experienced batsmen Aamir Sohail and Ejaz Ahmad helped Pakistan hit up a respectable total of 285 all out in 49.4 overs. Put into bat, the Pakistani openers Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar laid a foundation of a tall score by putting on 66 runs. Mistiming a pull on a delivery from the left-arm paceman Chaminda Vaas, Saeed Anwar ballooned a catch to Ranatunga at short mid-wicket. Anwar scored 26 from 27 balls with hit a big six and two boundaries. Seven runs later Shahid Afridi was clean bowled by Vaas. Shahid jumped out of his crease to hit him out of the ground only to miss the line of the delivery to see his off-stump uprooted. Shahid hit a huge six and four boundaries in his innings. Both Aamir Sohail and Ejaz Ahmad batted magnificently to take the Pakistan team to a position of strength. They were separated at the score of 195 when Sohail, who earlier had a life when Muralitharan failed to catch him on his own bowling and on another occasion Atapattu dropped him at long-off boundary off the bowler, could not control his pull shot and Muralitharan caught him on his follow-through. Sohail played fluent drives, pulls cuts and sweep shots to perplex the Sri Lankan bowlers, who tried their best to make a break through. He faced 82 balls and cracked five boundaries. After the dismissal of Sohail, Ejaz fought a lone battle to make the Pakistan total look impressive. Inzimam hit Jayasuriya over long-off boundary during his brief stay at the crease in which he scored eight runs. On the next ball, Inzimam was caught by Arvinda de Silva at covers. Akram lasted for just six balls and scored as many runs. The in-form Moin Khan too could not also stay for long. He scored 10 before being run out. Azhar Mahmood, in his brief stay contributed 15. He played 10 balls and hoisted Sanjeeva de Silva over long-off boundary to his a six. At the total of 278, Rashid Latif (1) snicked a ball from Chaminda Vaas into the hands of the wicketkeeper to give Lanka de Silva his third catch of the innings. The high-responsible knock of Ejaz ahmad also came to an end at the total of 278. In an effort to hit Sanjeeva de Silva over the long-off boundary to complete his century, Ejaz was caught by substitute fielder Upal Chandana. He was unlucky to miss his well-deserved century by six runs. Ejaz hit two huge sixes and five boundaries in his attractive knock. He occupied the crease for 149 minutes and faced 110 balls. Ejaz lifted Jayasuriya over his head to get his first six and moved from 26 to 39. On the second occasion, Ejaz drove Chaminda Vaas over his head and the ball landed into the pavilion for the biggest six of the tournament. Ejaz moved from 87 to 93 with that six. Ejaz drives, pulls, cuts and sweeps were a treat to watch. His return to form is a happy omen for the Pakistan team. Source:: Dawn (http://dawn.com/) Report - Electronic Telegraph Jayasuriya simplifies task for Sri Lanka By Peter Deeley in Lahore SANATH Jayasuriya, destroyer of England in the World Cup in this country last year, repeated the dose yesterday against the host nation as Sri Lanka ambled to the final of this quadrangular day-night series. Jayasuriya reached a century off 86 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes, and went on to 134 off 114 deliveries as the World Cup holders won by eight wickets with 10 overs in hand. He shared an unbroken third-wicket stand of 213 off 165 deliveries with Aravinda de Silva, whose own hundred came off 87 balls. Now widely regarded the most feared one-day batsman in the game, Jayasuriya began cautiously, scoring only six off his first 16 balls. Caught off a no-ball, he then warmed up by hooking Waqar Younis for six and with de Silva providing the classical stroke-play these two dominated Pakistan's quality attack. Waqar Younis went for 49 off six overs and, with Sri Lanka striding away, even the normally economical Wasim Akram was driven over mid-off for successive boundaries by de Silva. Pakistan had to win to reach Saturday's final and a near-capacity 40,000 crowd more shrieked than roared them on to what seemed a winning total of 280 with Ijaz Ahmed hitting an enterprising 94 before being caught on the ropes going for another six. But when the assault on the home attack began, the crowd turned against their own side and the game halted while the outfield was cleared of missiles. Pakistan again struggled with the wet ball in the field but Sri Lanka continue to look quite invincible in limited-overs competition. They give pleasure even to those watchers who become jaundiced by the sameness of the one-day game. Sri Lanka meet South Africa in the competition's last preliminary match tonight and then the two will play each other again in the final. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)