Karunaratne century keeps Sri Lanka ahead

AGENCIES, GALLE (SRI LANKA): Opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne led the way with his third Test century as Sri Lanka finished the opening day Wednesday of the first cricket Test against West Indies at 250 for two. Karunaratne’s unbeaten 135 and a knock of 72 not out from Dinesh Chandimal put the hosts firmly on top at stumps after they won the toss and elected to bat at the Galle International Stadium.
Sri Lanka, who went into lunch at 67 for the loss of Kaushal Silva’s wicket for 17, progressed to 141 for 2 at tea, with vice captain Lahiru Thirimanne the only player to lose his wicket in the afternoon session. Chandimal joined Karunaratne and started playing in his natural aggressive style. He hit the first six of the innings when he lofted Devendra Bishoo over mid wicket, notching up his ninth 50 in Tests. At close, the pair had added an 149 unbeaten runs for the third wicket.
Meanwhile, West Indies did themselves no good by dropping two catches in the middle session. The first spill didn’t cost them - Lahiru Thirimanne, the reprieved batsman, was dismissed soon after - but the other - a backtracking Jerome Taylor failing to grasp Dinesh Chandimal at mid-on when he miscued an attempted pull off Devendra Bishoo - certainly did. Chandimal, who was on 11 at that point, went on to end the day unbeaten on 72, having added 149 with Karunaratne. Karunaratne’s innings was a triumph of restraint and adherence to a simple plan. In the morning session, he left resolutely when the ball was angled across him, and didn’t get lured into indiscretion outside off even when the quicks went around the wicket. He read the lengths well, picking up most of his runs with checked drives through cover - he rarely went hard at the ball while playing this stroke, mindful of the slowness of the pitch - and glides and cuts behind point. Against the legspinner Bishoo, he used his feet well, coming down the track to either whip him with the turn or to get close enough to the pitch of the ball to smother any potential misbehaviour out of the rough.
In the first two sessions, accurate bowling and a slow pitch ensured Sri Lanka never ran too far ahead of their opponents. But they took control in the period immediately after tea, when West Indies began proceedings with Bishoo and Marlon Samuels and kept them going in tandem for 16 overs. It was a strange tactic, given that West Indies’ attack contained four frontline quicks - it was, perhaps, an admission that they had got the selection wrong - and those 16 overs went for 53 runs - the run rate of 3.31 comfortably above the rate of 2.56 that Sri Lanka had scored at until tea.
Both batsmen milked the spinners, using their feet comfortably to get down the track, hit a six each over cow corner - Karunaratne reached his hundred in that manner - and grew increasingly entrenched. It wasn’t until West Indies took the second new ball that Chandimal faced Roach or Taylor - West Indies’ two most experienced bowlers, and their biggest threats on the day. By that time, he had moved to 54 off 120 balls.

Karunaratne century keeps Sri Lanka ahead

AGENCIES, GALLE (SRI LANKA): Opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne led the way with his third Test century as Sri Lanka finished the opening day Wednesday of the first cricket Test against West Indies at 250 for two. Karunaratnes unbeaten 135 and a knock of 72 not out from Dinesh Chandimal put the hosts firmly on top at stumps after they won the toss and elected to bat at the Galle International Stadium. Sri Lanka, who went into lunch at 67 for the loss of Kaushal Silvas wicket for 17, progressed to 141 for 2 at tea, with vice captain Lahiru Thirimanne the only player to lose his wicket in the afternoon session. Chandimal joined Karunaratne and started playing in his natural aggressive style. He hit the first six of the innings when he lofted Devendra Bishoo over mid wicket, notching up his ninth 50 in Tests. At close, the pair had added an 149 unbeaten runs for the third wicket. Meanwhile, West Indies did themselves no good by dropping two catches in the middle session. The first spill didnt cost them - Lahiru Thirimanne, the reprieved batsman, was dismissed soon after - but the other - a backtracking Jerome Taylor failing to grasp Dinesh Chandimal at mid-on when he miscued an attempted pull off Devendra Bishoo - certainly did. Chandimal, who was on 11 at that point, went on to end the day unbeaten on 72, having added 149 with Karunaratne. Karunaratnes innings was a triumph of restraint and adherence to a simple plan. In the morning session, he left resolutely when the ball was angled across him, and didnt get lured into indiscretion outside off even when the quicks went around the wicket. He read the lengths well, picking up most of his runs with checked drives through cover - he rarely went hard at the ball while playing this stroke, mindful of the slowness of the pitch - and glides and cuts behind point. Against the legspinner Bishoo, he used his feet well, coming down the track to either whip him with the turn or to get close enough to the pitch of the ball to smother any potential misbehaviour out of the rough. In the first two sessions, accurate bowling and a slow pitch ensured Sri Lanka never ran too far ahead of their opponents. But they took control in the period immediately after tea, when West Indies began proceedings with Bishoo and Marlon Samuels and kept them going in tandem for 16 overs. It was a strange tactic, given that West Indies attack contained four frontline quicks - it was, perhaps, an admission that they had got the selection wrong - and those 16 overs went for 53 runs - the run rate of 3.31 comfortably above the rate of 2.56 that Sri Lanka had scored at until tea. Both batsmen milked the spinners, using their feet comfortably to get down the track, hit a six each over cow corner - Karunaratne reached his hundred in that manner - and grew increasingly entrenched. It wasnt until West Indies took the second new ball that Chandimal faced Roach or Taylor - West Indies two most experienced bowlers, and their biggest threats on the day. By that time, he had moved to 54 off 120 balls.