dismiss WI ‘A’ for 276

A fine all-round bowling effort from Sri Lanka A saw them dismiss West Indies A for 276 on the opening day of the first 4-day unofficial test at the R Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

The match was unique in the annals of Sri Lanka cricket because a pink ball instead of the customary red was used for the first time in a match.

The pink ball is being trialed by virtually every Test playing country as the ICC at some point of time wants Test cricket to be played under lights.

The first over bowled with the pink ball by Sri Lanka under 19 fast bowler Asitha Fernando saw seven runs being scored by West Indies A openers Rajendra Chandrika and Keiran Powell.

However the opening partnership didn’t last long when off the second over Lahiru Kumara trapped Chandrika lbw for five.

West Indies A lost two further wickets to be 56-3 before skipper Sharmarh Brooks and Vishaul Singh staged a recovery with a partnership of 125.

But once Brooks was dismissed for a well compiled 65 off 107 balls (9 fours) West Indies A suffered another batting collapse losing three wickets for four runs to slump to 185-6. However with Singh putting up staunch resistance at one end, he found an able partner in Kemar Roach and the two raised the total by 66 before Sri Lanka A once again broke through to bowl them out.

Singh was unlucky to miss out on his hundred by four runs when he was caught by Sri Lanka Test player Lahiru Thirimanne who snapped up four catches. Singh hit nine fours in his 187 ball innings.

Roach was left stranded on 45 not out when the Lanka A bowler cleaned up the tail in quick succession. Gunaratne who broke the Brooks-Singh stand had the best figures among the bowlers with three for 27 off 16 overs.

Sri Lanka A faced one over without scoring a run. The match continues today.