Dhananjaya de Silva’s assured thirteenth Check hundred anchored a decided Sri Lankan batting effort with the guests dismissed for 308 simply earlier than the shut of the primary day of the primary Check of the two-match sequence towards the West Indies on the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Thursday.
John Campbell negotiated a maiden over from Asitha Fernando earlier than the shut of play and can resume with opening companion Brandon King on the second morning.
Main his group into their first style of the normal format of the sport for precisely one yr, de Silva’s stroke-filled 120 off 168 balls with 17 fours held the innings collectively after they had been in early bother on a seamer-friendly floor having been put in to bat.
He got here to the crease on a steamy morning with the brand new ball darting round and Sri Lanka stumbling at 42 for 3 after veteran Kemar Roach and returning pacer Alzarri Joseph precipitated early injury to the vacationers’ innings.
De Silva discovered resolute help within the form of Dinesh Chandimal, the previous captain contributing a horny 54 and enjoying an essential function in a stabilizing fourth-wicket partnership of 68.
By then the elegant right-hander was in full stream and after Shamar Joseph claimed two wickets in fast succession, de Silva engaged in an much more productive stand with Sonal Dinusha.
The left-hander, in simply his second Check, confirmed spectacular maturity by contributing 43 to a 99-run sixth-wicket stand earlier than he was leg forward to Roach within the closing session.
“It was an exquisite century from the captain,” stated Dinusha.
“He has maturity and a number of expertise so he executed rather well.”
Roach, who began the day by eradicating the damaging Pathum Nissanka to a catch at short-leg within the first over, had closing figures of two for 32, simply 4 wickets away from changing into solely the fifth West Indian to succeed in the plateau of 300 Check wickets.
Resolve
As a lot because the Sri Lankans’ confirmed spectacular resolve after slipping to 110 for 5 simply after lunch, the West Indies didn’t assist their trigger with inconsistent bowling whereas wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva, again within the group after an absence of 18 months, endured a nightmarish return in placing down three probabilities, the final two comparatively easy.
One of many males who occupied the function behind the stumps in his absence, Shai Hope, was dominated out of the match simply earlier than the beginning of play with a strained left shoulder suffered in coaching two days earlier, permitting left-handed batsman Amir Jangoo to additionally make a Check return.
De Silva’s glorious innings was ended by seam bowling all-rounder Justin Greaves by way of a vanguard. Greaves added two extra victims because the innings subsided to complete together with his greatest Check innings figures of three for 39.
Whereas he would have been dissatisfied at not with the ability to carry although to the top of the day, the Sri Lankan captain should take immense satisfaction from the resolve he was in a position to encourage in his group as they familiarize themselves with Check cricket once more.
“To get 300-plus in these situations, I believe it is a good effort,” Dinusha added. “If we are able to bowl constantly properly in good areas tomorrow we may have a superb probability.”
Given its seamer-friendly nature by means of the previous regional first-class event, West Indies put most of their eggs within the quick bowling basket. In distinction, Sri Lanka opted for a extra balanced assault with three seamers supported by two spin bowling all-rounders.
It’s a resolution that will pay dividends in a while within the match, particularly because of their captain’s effort on day one.
