Sri Lanka off to solid start but Dimuth misses World Record

 

There was disappointment and frustration as skipper Dimuth Karunaratne missed out on the opportunity of equalling the World Record for most consecutive half-centuries in Test cricket by just eight runs yesterday but Sri Lanka did well to reach 113 for one at stumps in a rain-curtailed day where only 34.4 overs were bowled.

Rain had washed out the first two sessions of the Test match and play got underway only after tea with 45 overs scheduled but after 34.4 overs the light was fading and the umpires suspended play with 30 minutes left.

Dimuth had been in pretty good nick this year and he missed out on the milestone when he offered a return catch to Roston Chase on 42. But by then, he had given Sri Lanka a solid start having added 106 runs for the first wicket with Patum Nissanka.

Nissanka started off confidently and outscored his captain. West Indies reviewed when he was on 17 after a leg-before wicket shout off the bowling of Jason Holder was turned down. The tourists lost the review after it emerged that the wickets were missing.

There were some elegant strokes during Nissanka’s unbeaten 61 and his confidence was in show when he came down the track to left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and lofted him over long-off for six. He reached his third Test half-century by driving Holder straight down the ground.

West Indies appealed for a caught behind off Oshada Fernando before he had opened the account and exhausted a second review. Spinner Jomel Warrican prompted his skipper to go upstairs but that was a shocker. It’s not the first time that Warrican had wasted reviews and he seems to be in the mould of Niroshan Dickwella, overenthusiastic and burns reviews unnecessarily.

Sri Lanka handed Chairth Asalanka his Test debut and he became the nation’s 157th  Test cricketer. Sri Lanka effectively beefed up their batting by bringing in Asalanka for fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera. There was confirmation from the hosts that Angelo Mathews will share the new ball with Suranga Lakmal. It’s been a while since Mathews has done it in Test cricket.

West Indies, meanwhile, left out Shannon Gabriel and Rahkeem Cornwall bringing in Kemar Roach and Permaul. The latter was playing his first Test match in six years.