A stroke-filled century by opening batsman Malinda Warnapura on debut highlighted the first day’s play as the Digicel Home Series between the West Indies and Sri Lanka got underway at the National Stadium, Providence yesterday.
Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and elected to bat on a placid track in brilliant sunshine, but with a disappointingly small crowd in attendance.
The left-handed, diminutive Warnapura and his tall, gangling partner, Michael Vandort set about digging themselves in against the sometimes probing Windies pace attack, spearheaded by Daren Powell from the pavilion or southern end and Jerome Taylor from the north.
Mixing sound defence with firm, crisp drives on either side of the wicket, the pair blunted the pace attack, posting 50 in 56 minutes off 13 overs, as the first hour’s play produced 53 runs.
Warnapura was the first to reach his 50, with seven fours off 91 balls.
At lunch, the score was a troubling 85-0: Warnapura 53 and Vandort 32.
The resumption saw the hundred partnership coming up in 135 minutes off 209 deliveries, as the pair revelled in what seemed to be familiar conditions.
But the toiling Windies bowlers didn’t have to wait much longer for their first taste of success.
With the score on 130, the persevering Taylor had Vandort palpably lbw for 53, which included nine fours off 115 balls in 163 minutes.
Kumar Sangakkara joined Warnapura, who, by then, had entered the nineties. The little opener was almost denied his moment of glory as when on 95 he cut at a delivery from Gayle, but a juggling Dwayne Bravo at first slip put down the catch.
Not to be denied, the diminutive left-hander reached a well-deserved century in only his third test match.
His robust century came in 214 minutes off 182 balls with 12 fours. At tea, Warnapura was unbeaten on 114 and his vice-captain Sangakkara, 23.
On the resump-tion,Warnapura added only six to his pre-tea score, falling to a leg-side catch by wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin off Bravo.
He took 268 minutes to compile his 120, off 226 balls and he found the boundary 14 times.
Warnapura’s dismissal let in skipper Mahela Jayawardene, who watched from the non-striker’s end as his deputy Sangakkara was let off by Sarwan at short mid-off. Sarwan subsequently left the field with an injured finger.
Sangakkara would eventually depart, caught by Devon Smith off Taylor for a well-played half century.
His demise marked the beginning of the Windies fightback as Taylor removed the new arrival Thilan Samaraweera with the score unchanged. Samaraweera was spectacularly caught at short mid-wicket by substitute fielder, Travis Dowlin.
Jayawardene (25 n.o.) and Tillakeratne Dilshan (15 n.o.) ensured there was no further loss as the Sri Lankans closed at 269-4.
Jerome Taylor leading the resurgence, finished with 3-59 from 18 overs, while Bravo supported with 1-48 from 19.
The first hour’s play today will be crucial for both teams, as the West Indies will no doubt be looking for an early breakthrough, thereby preventing any attempt at consolidation by Sri Lanka’s middle order.
The Sri Lankans, on the other hand, will be looking to push on in pursuit of a formidable total which, despite the benign wicket, may prove troublesome for the West Indies batsmen.
