Openers carry sunshine for Sri Lanka on overcast day

Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka receives his Test cap from Captain Dimuth Karunaratne before the start of play on the first day of the second Test against West Indies at Galle

• Karunaratne misses out on equalling world record

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

On a rain-curtailed first day of the second Sobers-Tissera Trophy Test, Pathum Nissanka sparkled and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne disappointingly fell just short of equalling a world record as Sri Lanka finished strongly on 113/1 against the West Indies at the Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

On a cloudy day, the openers carried the sunshine for Sri Lanka with a century partnership – 106, the second of the series, before Karunaratne, deceived in flight by off-spinner Roston Chase, was dismissed agonisingly for 42, eight short of what would have been a world record-equalling seventh consecutive score of fifty-plus.

Prior to the dismissal, Karunaratne had a narrow escape, getting a lead edge off Chase that fell short of cover.

Those two balls summed up the pitch as it provided spin and bounce already in the 34.4 overs that was possible after losing the entire morning session to rain. The behaviour of the pitch showed that the rain that delayed the toss and despite it being under cover for a long period of time had not changed its appearance one little bit.

West Indies spinners found appreciable turn and bounce, beating the bat too often but unlucky to not find the edge. Under the circumstances, Nissanka’s knock stood out like a beacon. Armed with a watertight defence, he had his own anxious moments, but he was brave enough to ride the storm and be unbeaten on a polished innings of 61* off 109 balls, consisting of four fours and one gorgeous six. Oshada Fernando, who joined him at the fall of Karunaratne’s wicket, was on two when bad light brought forward the close with 10 overs remaining to be bowled. West Indies, once again, were poor with their reviews, losing two inside the 35 overs.

Sri Lanka made one change from the side that won the first Test, presenting 24-year-old Charith Asalanka, their leading run-getter in the recently concluded T20 World Cup (231 runs, avg. 46.20) with his first Test cap, making him the 157th player to represent Sri Lanka in Test cricket. West Indies left out Rahkeem Cornwall and Shannon Gabriel for left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and fast bowler Kemar Roach. Sri Lanka leads the two-Test series 1-0.