Sri Lanka make case for title of world's best

Sri Lanka can stake their claim to the title of the world's leading one-day side following a season which has included three tournament victories out of four, as well as a world record.

Sanath Jayasuriya's side completed their 2000-01 campaign on Friday with a 77-run win over Pakistan in the final of the Sharjah triangular series.

While Australia and South Africa may have superior win-loss ratios, Sri Lanka have consistently won the games that mattered.

They underlined the point in Sharjah, stealing into the final despite winning just one first-phase game against New Zealand before comprehensively outplaying in-form Pakistan to take the trophy.

Coach Dav Whatmore said the win came after "a bit of soul searching".

"We realised there was a big difference between what we are capable of and what we are showing," Whatmore told Sri Lanka's Sunday Times .

"We played the final not only to show our capabilities but also to restore our pride. The team responded magnificently."

The season will have gone a long way towards restoring Sri Lankan pride, yet to recover after they surrendered their 1996 World Cup crown with barely a whimper in England two years ago.

RADICAL RETHINK
That humiliation prompted a radical rethink, with captain Arjuna Ranatunga axed and leading batsman Aravinda de Silva sidelined as new blood was brought in.

The one-day game remains the first love of Sri Lankan fans ahead of test cricket, and they were rewarded this season with 21 wins out of 31.

They began in July by beating South Africa in the final of a home triangular series also involving Pakistan.

Failure in the ICC Knockout Trophy in October was soon forgotten as Jayasuriya's team won the Sharjah Champions Trophy over India and Zimbabwe.

That tournament provided the highlight of the one-day year -- a 245-run victory over India in the final.

JAYASURIYA'S 189
The previous record runs victory margin of 233, by Pakistan over Bangladesh in June, was surpassed as Jayasuriya hit a 161-ball 189 -- five short of the world record -- out of his side's total of 299. He hit 27 fours to score 108 in boundaries alone.

Left-arm pace bowler Chaminda Vaas then took over with five for 14 as India were skittled out for 54. Robin Singh, the only Indian batsman to reach double figures, top-scored with 11.

The Sri Lankan low point of the season came in a 5-1 drubbing in South Africa in December-January, although 4-1 and 3-0 series victories over New Zealand and England followed.

Australia won 14 of their 19 one-day matches, most of the victories coming in a successful home triangular event against Zimbabwe and a struggling West Indies eleven.

South Africa, meanwhile, who conclude their season with a seven-match one-day series in the West Indies next month, have won 16 of 23 games but only managed one tournament win in three.

New Zealand are the only other team who could lay some claim world supremacy, by arguing that they won the only event of the year including all the world's teams -- the ICC Knockout Trophy or 'Mini World Cup' in Kenya.

They, however, only played three games to do so -- avoiding Sri Lanka, Australia and South Africa in the process.

That event was the New Zealanders' only big success in a season which included series defeats against Zimbabwe (twice), Sri Lanka and South Africa.

Mail Cricket Editor