Sri Lanka rue missed chances; Lahiru Kumara bowls heart out

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka in the 1st Test of the three match series at Port-of-Spain in Trinidad.

Resurgent Sri Lanka face depleted West Indies

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The pendulum kept swinging both ways before West Indies eventually closed the opening day on 246/6 with Shane Dowrich unbeaten on a well compiled 46*, after the hosts were in a spot of bother at 147/5 on the stroke of tea.

The visitors were off to a dream start when the returning Suranga Lakmal produced a gem of a delivery to get rid of Kraig Brathwaite in the third over with Niroshan Dickwella holding on to a low chance behind the stumps.

Devon Smith’s come back after three years was cut short when he was called for a quick single by Kieran Powell, only to be found an inch short at the striker’s end, with the lads from the hill country (Lahiru Kumara & Dickwella) teaming up for the dismissal.

Kumara’s day got better when he cleaned up Powell for 38 on the stroke of lunch, before Lahiru Gamage had Shai Hope caught behind off the first over post lunch, only to find out that he had over stepped. In his next over, he produced another in-dipper against the same batsman to trap him in-front and umpire Richard Kettleborough had the dreaded finger up. Hope was quick to review and he was second time lucky as the thinnest of inside edges were found via ultra edge. His luck would eventually run out when Kumara produced a pacy delivery to have Hope hopping and caught down the leg side by Dickwella for 44.

Rangana Herath then dismissed Roston Chase – brilliantly caught at first slip by Angelo Mathews – to have his first wicket of the match as Sri Lanka tightened the grip on the hosts. Only 54 runs were scored in the second session for the loss of two wickets as West Indies went into the tea break in a spot of bother at 153/5 and a long tail to follow.

The break seemed to have worked well for the West Indians as their innings gained much needed impetus with skipper Jason Holder and wicket keeper batsman Shane Dowrich leading the way.

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Dilruwan Perera drifted one away to find the outside edge of Dowrich but Mathews spilt a relatively easy chance this time around. Kumara seemed to be the most penetrative bowler for Sri Lanka and he created another opportunity of Holder and it was Roshen Silva the culprit on this occasion, spilling a dolly at second slip.

Kumara threw everything he had at the hosts and his hard work finally paid off when he dismissed a well set Jason Holder for 40, to end an outstanding 90 run partnership for the sixth wicket.

Devendra Bishoo joined Dowrich and the duo put up stubborn resistance as West Indies lost just one wicket in the final session and survived a few tricky overs with the second new ball. Interestingly none of the West Indian batsmen went past the 50 run mark throughout the day, though Dowrich remained unbeaten on 46* and looked well set for a big one after living dangerously initially. West Indies closed the day on 246/6 with Sri Lanka maintaining a poor over rate falling six overs short, including the use of the extra half an hour provided.