Jomel, Permaul dominate for Windies
West Indies dominated the play on day two of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday before rain spoiled and brought an early end to play. West Indies were 69 for one wicket at stumps after bowling Sri Lanka out for 204 in their first innings .
The day started with 113 for one wicket but West Indies two leg spinners Jomel Warrican and Veerasammy Permaul picked up nine wickets between them – including career-best figures of 5 for 35 for the latter to restrict the hosts to a first-innings total of 204 and only 91 runs added with losing nine wickets.
In fact Warrican made an early breakthrough to pick Oshada Fernando’s wicket after seven overs of the day and he was once again struggled with spinners. After the first wicket West Indies spinners were able to make more pressure to pick the Sri Lankan wickets at regular intervals to dismiss them for 204.
This was Sri Lanka’s lowest total after putting up a century opening stand. The overall record for the lowest team total after a hundred partnership for the first wicket is held by New Zealand, who were folded up for 158 after an opening stand of 107 against Australia in 1974.
The opener Pathum Nissanka’s 148-ball 73 was the highest score of the hosts’ innings, alongside Dimuth Karunaratne’s 42 on first day. Angelo Mathews was next with 29. Nissanka was looking for his second century unfortunately LBW to Permual which was his first wicket of the innings. Finally he ended with a career best figures of 5 for 35, the first five wicket haul for him. He has returned to Test cricket after five years. Jomel Warrican made good supporting role from the other end finished four for 50.
Earlier Charith Asalanka looked good on debut, reverse-sweeping just his second ball for a boundary, but when Permaul spun one back into his forward defence, he could only manage to lob a catch to short leg Bonner via his bat and pad.
Sri Lanka also suffered with Angelo Mathews’ injury when he was running between the wickets. He was back to the pavilion with the injury when the total reached 162 for 4 once again came as number ten batter was also the last man out off the bowling of Warrican scoring for 29 runs .
The West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood safely negotiated the four overs before lunch with little drama but Praveen Jayawickrama made the breakthrough after lunch with getting Blackwood’s wicket. He scored 44 in 99 balls hit five fours while Brathwaite remained on 22 and Nkrumah Bonner was one at the wicket when the rain stopped play at 2.20 pm and it officially called off at 4 .20 pm. West Indies still trail by 135 runs are looking for the big total today but they have to fight against Sri Lankan spinners as well as rain on this Galle pitch. The game was possible to play only 57 overs yesterday and today it will be started at 9.45 am fifteen minutes before schedule time .