Sports

Prasad helps Sri Lanka regain control

Hosts dismiss West Indies for just 163 before ending day on 76-2

Reuetrs October 23, 2015

Prasad bowled superbly to give Sri Lanka the advantage in the Test despite the hosts being dismissed for just 200 in the first innings. PHOTO: REUTERS

COLOMBO: Fast-bowler Dhammika Prasad picked up four wickets as hosts Sri Lanka bundled out West Indies for 163 to take a first-innings lead of 37 on the second day of the second and final Test at the P Sara Oval on Friday.

Sri Lanka then lost opener Dimuth Karunaratne to the first ball of their second innings from paceman Jerome Taylor but recovered to reach 76-2 at stumps, stretching their lead to 113.

Kaushal Silva remained unbeaten on 31 and added 55 for the second wicket with debutant Kusal Mendis (39) before the latter fell to left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.

In the morning, play was delayed by 30 minutes due to a wet outfield and Prasad made full use of the overcast conditions, bowling an impeccable line and length to extract movement off the pitch.

After dismissing the hosts for 200 on the opening day, West Indies would have hoped for a solid start from their batsmen as they resumed on 17-1 but that was not to be. Nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo (13) was the first to fall. West Indies’ batting mainstay Darren Bravo then chopped Prasad on to his stumps after making only two.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite (47) tried to rebuild the innings with a fourth-wicket stand of 39 with Marlon Samuels (13) before the latter fell in the penultimate over before lunch. All-rounder Milinda Siriwardana got Samuels to edge to Angelo Mathews at slip off his left-arm spin.

Siriwardana took his second wicket when Brathwaite fell shortly after lunch. Prasad returned for another spell and dismissed Jermaine Blackwood for his fourth wicket.

West Indies captain Jason Holder (21) hit a few boundaries in a bid to bring down the deficit but became Dilruwan Perera’s first victim of the innings.The off-spinner then dismissed Taylor (one) and Warrican (one) to finish off the West Indies innings.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2015.

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