West Indies batsmen Marlon Samuels (left) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul talking between overs during the second ODI cricket match against Sri Lanka last Saturday. The two combined for a partnership of 107 runs as the West Indies won by seven wickets, and won the series 2-0. (AP Picture)

by MIKE KING

IT IS BOUND to be a lot
tougher when the world champions Australia arrive in the Caribbean next month, but for now, the West Indies
can revel in knocking off the plucky Sri Lankans.

It may not have matched the opening match of the One-Day series for excitement, but West Indies can
feel a measure of satisfaction for winning the One-Day series. It has to be acknowledged though, that this is a "B" strength Sri Lankan side badly missing Murali and Malinga from their attack and much too dependent on Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara for runs.

The improving Jerome Taylor led the West Indies attack once more while Shivnarine Chanderpaul, batting like a man possessed, turned the match on its head with a bold counter-attack that took the sting out of the tame Sri Lanka bowling.

The revelation though was the majestic Marlon Samuels. The elegant Jamaican, struggling for runs since his rewarding series in South Africa, was at his belligerent best, bashing Chaminda Vaas for consecutive fours
and hoisting Kapugedera for six over mid-wicket, then another at long-on.

West Indies were racing towards their target, and the majestic Samuels made sure of it with another huge six
off Sri Lanka's mystery spinner, Ajantha Mendis. Chanderpaul notched his 50 from 40 balls; Samuels' took 48 and West Indies galloped home with 27 balls to spare.

Coach John Dyson knows the importance of the series win.

"Every series is important," Dyson added. "I've always said that at international level, your aim is to win the series. "Our group of guys has been working hard for some time and I'm really pleased for them that they've been able to put it together in front of their home crowd."