Comfortably ahead: Sri Lanka in control after dismissing West Indies’ openers

Karunaratne, Chandimal score 150s to take hosts to 484, Herath leaves visitors 66-2

GALLE: Rangana Herath dismissed both West Indies’ openers to leave the visitors struggling at 66-2 at stumps on the second day of the first Test in Galle, still trailing Sri Lanka by 418 runs after both opener Dimuth Karunaratne and right-handed middle order batsman Dinesh Chandimal had scored 150s.

The veteran spinner had Kraigg Brathwaite trapped leg before wicket for 19 in his second over before then sending Shai Hope packing for 23, putting the brakes on what had been a brisk fightback from the West Indies.



The visitors’ hopes of saving the match now lie in the hands of two of their most experienced batsmen, Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels, who were unbeaten at the close with 15 and seven respectively.

Read: Karunaratne ton puts Sri Lanka in charge on day one

West Indies still face a massive task to avoid the follow-on after Sri Lanka posted a formidable total of 484 in their first innings. The visitors would have been looking at a much bigger deficit had Sri Lanka not had a mini collapse towards the end of their innings, losing their last five wickets for just 36 runs.

The cornerstones of Sri Lanka’s innings were centuries by Karunaratne, who made 186, and Chandimal, who scored 151. Their 238-run partnership for the third wicket set a new record for any wicket in Tests between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

This was also Chandimal’s second consecutive score of more than 150 at Galle after his superb counter-attacking innings of 162 not out against India had helped turn the tide in his side’s favour in August.

Read: Sri Lanka's Kaushal cleared to bowl without 'doosra'

Leg spinner Devendra Bishoo took three lower order wickets to finish with figures of 4-143 in 40.3 overs, while Jerome Taylor was perhaps the pick of the West Indies’ fast bowlers, taking 2-65.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2015.

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