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Dismisses Gayle LBW with first ball:
Lakmal gives Lanka dream start
New pace sensation Suranga Lakmal gave Sri Lanka and the Pallekelle
International Stadium a dream start on the opening day of the rain
curtailed third and final Test match against the West Indies which
commenced yesterday.
The twenty three year old seamer from the Southern Province
brightened up a gloomy but yet a historic day by removing the explosive
Chris Gayle in the very first delivery at Sri Lanka’s newly constructed
eighth Test venue.
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Pallekelle 8th Test
venue
Sri Lanka added the
picturesque Pallekelle International Stadium in Kandy as the
8th Test venue of the resplendent island with a religious
ceremony at the ground yesterday.
The clergy invoked their
blessing at the newly constructed venue before Sri Lanka and
the West Indies started the Third and the final Test of the
series at Pallekela, which will also host two ICC World Cup
tournament matches.
Chairman of Sri Lanka
Cricket D.Somachandra de Silva, along with the Chief
Minister of the Central Province Sarath Ekanaiyake and Chief
Executive Officer of SLC Ajit Jayasekara officiated at the
religious ceremony. |
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Sri Lankan cricketers celebrate after
Suranga Lakmal dismissed West Indies batsman Chris Gayle
first ball. AFP |
However the West Indies despite their early setback having sent into
bat recovered well through their second wicket pair of Devon Smith and
Darren Bravo to reach a healthy 69 for 1 before bad light and rain
halted play at 2.03 p.m.
The match recommenced at 4.00 p.m following early tea after more than
one and a half hours of play was lost in the morning session due to a
wet outfield.
The West Indies eventually crawled to reach 134 for 2 when bad light
again brought an end to the proceedings at 5.17 p.m.
Suranga Lakmal’s achievement was even more significant considering
the fact that his first Test victim was also the same batsman at the R.
Premadasa Stadium last week. This was certainly an inspired performance
as he managed to exploit the conditions without a great deal of luck.
Lakmal not only shared the new ball with a great purpose but also got
a fare amount of movement while troubling the West Indian top order
during his ten over spell.
The historic first delivery was undoubtedly the best that he produced
as Chris Gayle played the wrong line and paid the penalty for the second
time in this series. Thereafter it turned out to be a long hard struggle
for the visitors who were simply prepared to stay at the crease and wait
for the bad deliveries.
Opener Devon Smith made the maximum from the limited opportunities to
compile a sedate half century from 100 deliveries inclusive of seven
boundaries.
He was of course let off by Thilan Samaraweera on 45 from the bowling
of Dilhara Fernando.
Together with Darren Bravo the pair put on 115 runs for the second
wicket from 138 minutes of batting time. The consistent Darren Bravo
also went on to complete another half century from 85 deliveries and 110
minutes with the aid of nine boundaries.
However he was dropped by Mahela Jayawardena on 56 at second slip off
the unfortunate Dilhara Fernando who came into the side in place of the
injured Nuwan Kulasekera.
The West Indies also made two changes from the side that drew the
second Test match at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo with Devon
Smith and Nelson Pascal coming in place of Adrian Barath and Shane
Shillingford.
SCORECARDWEST INDIES 1st innings:
C. Gayle lbw b Lakmal 00
D. Smith lbw b Mendis 55
Darren Bravo not out 63
S. Chanderpaul not out 11
EXTRAS (lb2, nb2, w1) 05
TOTAL (for two wickets; 40 overs) 134
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Gayle), 2-115 (Smith)
BOWLING: Lakmal 10-3-20-1, Mathews 6-2-27-0, Dilshan 3-0-4-0, Fernando
10-1-50-0 (w1), Mendis 11-2-31-1 (nb2).Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Asad Rauf (PAK) and Bruce Oxenford (AUS)
TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)
Match referee: Alan Hurst (AUS) |
