29
GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 13, 2016
Vishaul career-best puts Windies A in command PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (CMC) – Vice-captain Vishaul Singh struck a career-best fifth first-class century to spearhead a massive West Indies A batting effort on the second day of the second four-day ‘Test’ against Sri Lanka A here Tuesday. Unbeaten on 81 overnight at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, the left-hander carved out a superb 161 to lift We s t I n d i e s t o 5 0 9 f o r nine declared in their first innings. Opener Rajendra Chandrika, who had retired hurt on 51 on Tuesday’s opening day, returned to make 84 while tail-ender Kemar Roach chipped in with 39. At the close, captain Dimuth Karunaratne was holding the hosts’ innings together with an unbeaten 66 as they reached 128 for four – still 381 runs behind heading into today’s penultimate day. Wicketkeeper Niroshan
wicket. While Vishaul faced 306 deliveries and struck 16 fours, Chandrika hit nine boundaries off 84 balls, falling with his second firstclass century in sight, when he was lbw to leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay. Vishaul, who reached triple figures 40 minutes before lunch, then added a further 90 for the seventh wicket with Roach, who
SCOREBOARD
Vishaul Singh Dickwella was not out on 38 and has so far put on 91 for the fifth wicket with Karunartne, a partnership which pulled Sri Lanka A around from danger at 37 for four. Seamer Roach trapped Avishka Fernando lbw for seven at 19 for one and Test batsman Lahiru Thirimanne followed for three, at 32 for two, when he was
hit four fours and two sixes in his 80-ball stay at the crease. The partnership took West Indies to lunch at 410 for six and helped the visitors increase their dominance in the second session, before Roach finally departed, an hour after the resumption. Off-spinner Charith Asalanka was the best bowler with four for 104.
caught at the wicket off fast bowler Keon Joseph, who has taken two for four from four overs. Joseph removed Roshen Silva for a firstball duck at 36 for three and with a run added, Charith Asalanka was lbw to off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall for one. H o w e v e r, f i r s t ‘ Te s t ’ c e n t u r y - m a k e r
Karunaratne produced yet another excellent innings to stave off the collapse, facing 124 deliveries and counting 12 fours while Dickwella has struck two fours in his 65-ball knock. Earlier, resuming from their overnight 331 for five, West Indies A flourished thanks to the Guyanese pair of Vishaul and Chandrika who put on 54 for the sixth
WEST INDIES 1st innings (o/n 331 for five) R. Chandrika lbw b Vandersay 84 K. Powell c wkp.. Dickwella b Anuk Fernando 29 S. Hetmyer b Asalanka 48 S. Brooks c wkp. Dickwella b Kumara 3 V Singh b Asalanka 161 J. Hamilton run-out 99 R. Cornwall lbw b Karunaratne 1 K. Roach c Avishka Fernando b Asalanka 39 G. Motie-Kanhai lbw b Asalanka 9 D. Johnson not out 8 Extras: (b-8, lb-3, w-9, nb-8) 28 Total: (9 wkts decl., 137.4 overs) 509 Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-120, 3-140, 4-328, 5-331, 6-385, 7-475, 8-494, 9-509. Bowling: Asitha Fernando 19-263-0 (w-2), Kumara 20-2-78-1 (w-1, nb-2), Anuk Fernando 13-0-76-1 (w-6, nb-4), Vandersay 31-2-110-
1, Gunaratne 17-3-61-0 (nb-2), Asalanka 33.4-7-104-4, Karunaratne 4-2-6-1. SRI LANKA 1st innings D. Karunaratne not out 66 Avishka Fernando lbw b Roach 7 L. Thirimanne c wkp. Hamilton b Joseph 3 R. Silva c Brooks b Joseph 0 K. Asalanka lbw b Cornwall 1 N. Dickwella not out 38 Extras: (b-8, lb-4, nb-1) 13 Total: (4 wkts, 40 overs) 128 Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-32, 3-36, 4-37. Bowling: Roach 8-3-18-1, Johnson 8-3-25-0, Cornwall 14-3-38-1, Joseph 4-1-4-2 (nb-1), Motie-Kanhai 6-0-31-0. Position: Sri Lanka A trail by 381 runs with six wickets intact. Toss: Sri Lanka A. Umpires: N. de Silva, R. Kottahachchi.
Bravo says Test series vital for redemption DUBAI, United Arab Emirates CMC – Stylish left-hander Darren Bravo says West Indies will use the upcoming three-Test series against Pakistan to redeem themselves, following weak performances in the Twenty20 and OneDay International series recently. West Indies crashed to 3-0 series losses in both the T20s and the ODIs, to enter the Test phase of the tour without a single win in their six previous matches. “By all means, we didn’t really perform well in the shorter formats of the game (during this tour) and we’re disappointed about that,” Bravo said on the eve of the historic day/ night first Test here. “Going into the Test match we will try our very best to put on a much better performance in the Test
match series. The guys are working hard and we are really excited about going into this first Test match with the pink ball and the last two with the normal red ball.” As they did during the limited overs series against the likes of left-arm spinners Imad Wasim and Mohammed Nawaz, West Indies are expected to face a trial by spin during the Test series. And while Imad has been left out of the Pakistan squad, Nawaz, fellow leftarm spinner Zulfiqar Babar and leg-spinner Yasir Shah have been included, and are expected to pose a significant threat on the slow pitches in the UAE. Bravo said confidence would be a key factor in the batting approach by the Windies. “They are quality spinners … but I think it is very
important to back your defence,” he explained. “If you like going over the top or if you like sweeping, if you like chipping to a particular spin bowler, you just have to go out there and back yourself. “I don’t think you have to go out there and play names. If you play names you’re going to be on the back foot from ball one. It’s just a matter of going out there and just being positive.” Bravo got a half-century during the second ODI in Sharjah and stroked 91 at the same venue last week in a three-day game against the Pakistan Cricket Board Patron’s XI, to find form ahead of the longer format. The last game was a day/ night affair featuring the revolutionary pink ball and the 27-year-old said his knock had allowed him time to get
comfortable with the unfamiliar pink ball. “It was a very good experience spending some time out in the middle and getting acclimatised to the pink ball,” Bravo said. “I believe early up it was a bit difficult to actually see the ball but at the end of
Darren Bravo
the day, once I spent more time out in the middle it was much easier.” He added: “I think it is all about acclimatising and just believing in yourself at the end of the day. It’s cricket, the colour of the ball has changed. If from the inception (of cricket) we
used to use a pink ball, if we were going to try a red ball at this point in time it would have been difficult as well so it doesn’t matter. “It’s about going out and acclimatising as quickly as possible and just accepting the challenge for what it is.”