Windies ‘A’ set for Lanka thriller

The hosts, chasing 316 runs to hit the jackpot, were 126 for two in their second innings when stumps were drawn on yesterday’s penultimate day of the four-day match at Rangiri Stadium, needing another 190 runs with eight wickets standing.

West Indies "A" had been dismissed for 278 in their second innings following half-centuries from opening batsman Ryan Ramdass and wicketkeeper-batsman Carlton Baugh, Jr.

Tino Best then put the Sri Lankans under some early pressure, but left the field after bowling four balls in his seventh over. The nature and severity of his injury remain a mystery.

Best forced Avishka Gunawardene to retire hurt on 16, after he struck the opening batsman with a fireball on his right elbow. He then removed Jehan Mubarak for 15 and Malintha Gajanayke without scoring to take figures of two wickets for 33 runs from 6.4 overs with him into the dressing room, and leave Sri Lanka "A" on 38 for two.

The home team then seemed to thrive in his absence. Test batsmen Michael Vandort and Russel Arnold, the Sri Lanka-A captain, took the opportunity to add 88, unbroken, for the third wicket to put their side in a favourable position. Vandort, who has played two Tests for the senior Sri Lanka side, hit five boundaries from 113 balls in 47 not out, and Arnold, a veteran of 44 Tests, hit half-dozen fours in 36 not out from 42 balls.

Earlier, shoddy second innings batting, the bane of the senior West Indies team in the second innings, afflicted the visiting "A" Team.

Apart from Ramdass, Baugh, and Jermaine Lawson with a late flourish of five fours in 29 off 22 balls, the West Indies "A" batting steadily declined from the relatively comfortable position of 143 for three.

Ramdass hit ten fours and one six in the top score of 82 from 153 balls, and Baugh propped up the innings with half-dozen fours in 70 from 132 balls.

Spin bowler Sajeewa Weerakoon, the West Indies A-Team’s first innings tormentor, was again their bugbear in the second innings.

He claimed three for 58 from 22 overs, and gained support from Gayan Wijekoon with two for 56 from 20 overs, and Mohammed Suraj with two for 76 from 24.1 overs.

After West Indies "A" continued from their bedtime position of 113 for three, they lost left-hander Narsingh Deonarine when Weerakoon bowled him for 12 in the first hour, after he added 57 for the fourth wicket with Ramdass.

Runako Morton was adjudged leg before wicket to Test fast bowler Dilhara Fernando for five, and Weerakoon claimed his second scalp when he had Ramdass caught to leave the visitors 166 for six.

Baugh took control of the match at this stage, but he lost Dave Mohammed caught in the deep off Weerakoon for eight and Best caught close to the wicket for a third-ball duck to leave West Indies "A" 202 for eight. Some determined batting from No 10 Dwight Washington, who spent one and a half hours over ten, alongside Baugh and Lawson ensured the visitors extended their lead over the 300-run hump.