Archives

by Sa'adi Thawfeeq reporting from Kandy

KANDY, Thursday - West Indies progress to clean up the Sri Lankan first innings was stalled by rain which prevented any play after lunch on the second day of the second cricket Test played at the Asgiriya International Stadium here today.

When play was called off for the day at 3.45 p.m. with rain still falling, Sri Lanka had taken their overnight total from 193 for five to 273 for eight wickets.

In the 144 minutes play that was possible, Sri Lanka lost three wickets while adding 80 runs to their total in 34 overs.

It was the second new ball taken no sooner it became due after 80 overs that undid the Sri Lankan innings. Until then overnight pair Hashan Tillakaratne and Tilan Samaraweera batted without any trouble raising 80 runs for the sixth wicket in 117 minutes.

Mervyn Dillon back to full fitness after suffering from sharp pains in his chest was a different bowler today. With new ball partner Pedro Collins they ripped out three Sri Lanka wickets for no runs in 28 balls to swing the balance West Indies way.

Tillakaratne batting well on 87 played onto a delivery from Pedro Collins as he attempted a pull. The left-hander batted 245 minutes and faced 174 balls hitting one six and nine fours in his chanceless knock.

His dismissal at 249, saw him miss out on a world record by 53 minutes, having batted a total of 975 minutes without being dismissed in his last four Test innings beginning with SSC Test against India in August.

South African Jacques Kallis holds the record, batting for a total of 1028 minutes without being dismissed. There was a brief interruption of five minutes when the umpires called for the covers when a slight drizzle started falling, but althought the batsmen returned to the pavilion, the West Indies team remained on the field.

When play resumed after the short break, Sri Lanka lost the wickets of Samaraweera and Chaminda Vaas without any addition to the score.

Samaraweera edged a superb delivery from Dillon to wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs to be dismissed for 29 scored in 122 minutes.

Vaas also went edging at catch to Carl Hooper at second slip without scoring off Collins.

Niroshan Bandaratillake and Nuwan Zoysa prevented any further inroads by the West Indies fast bowlers as they stuck it out to put together an unfinished 24-run partnership for the ninth wicket.

Left-armer Collins had the remarkable figures of 5-4-5-2 with the second new ball, while Dillon's contribution was one for 21 off seven overs.

Sri Lanka lead 1-0 in the three-Test series having won the first Test at Galle by ten wickets.

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS

(overnight 193-5)

M. Atapattu lbw b Dillon		 0
S. Jayasuriya c Gayle b Collins		16
K. Sangakkara b Ramnarine		15
M. Jayawardene c  and b Ramnarine	88 
R. Arnold b Ramnarine		 	 4
H. Tillakaratne b Collins		87
T. Samaraweera c Jacobs b Dillon	29
C. Vaas c Hooper b Collins		 0
N. Bandaratillake not out		 9
N. Zoysa not out			15
Extras (LB-6, NB-4)			10
TOTAL (8 wkts, 93 overs)		273
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0, 2-27, 3-49, 
4-53, 5-169, 6-249, 7-249, 8-249.
TO BAT:  M. Muralitharan.
BOWLING: Dillon 18.2-4-51-2 (1nb), 
Collins 25-7-67-3 (1nb), 
Stuart 0.1-0-2-0 (2nb), 
Gayle 0.3-0-4-0, 
Hooper 21-6-44-0, 
Ramnarine 25-6-81-3, 
Samuels 3-0-18-0.
WEST INDIES: Darren Ganga, Chris Gayle, 
Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Carl
Hooper, 
Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, 
Mervyn Dillon, Dinananth Ramnarine,
Colin Stuart, Pedro Collins.
Umpires: John Hampshire (England) 
and Gamini Silva (Sri Lanka), 
TV umpire: P. Manuel (Sri Lanka), 
Match Referee: Raman Subba Row (England).

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager