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| June 21, 2003 | Saturday | Rabi-us-Sani 20,1424 |
First Test Lankans make steady start
GROS ISLET, St Lucia, June 20: West Indies pace bowler Corey Collymore celebrated his return to Test cricket by dismissing Sanath Jayasuriya for an early breakthrough against Sri Lanka in the first day of the first Ttest on Friday.
The touring side were 152 for the loss of two wickets at tea.
Ignored by the Test selectors since his last appearance in 1999, Collymore has been a steady performer in West Indies’ one-day line-up.
He started nervously but in the 10th over tempted Jayasuriya (8) into a flashing cut to the throat of Omari Banks at gully, leaving Sri Lanka on 19 for one.
Kumar Sangakkara quickly forged a solid-looking partnership with opener Marvan Atapattu and the pair hit four boundaries each as they guided Sri Lanka forward. Atapattu was on 35 and Sangakkara on 32 at lunch.
Sri Lanka lost their second
wicket in the second session when Sangakkara fell lbw to parttime off-spin of Chris Gayle for a solid 58.
The second wicket stand realized 108 valuable runs.
Mahela Jayawardena joined Atapattu and the pair never appeared in trouble against a moderate West Indies attack.
At tea Atapattu was unbeaten 69 and Mahela Jayawardena on 14.
Sri Lanka captain Hashan Tillakaratne had earlier won the toss and elected to bat on a what is seen as a true batting track.
The early wicket vindicated the decision of West Indies captain Brian Lara to allow the experienced pairing of Mervyn Dillon and Collymore to use the new ball.
Eighteen-year old Test debutant Jerome Taylor, who is quicker than both senior bowlers, got his chance in the 13th over but conceded 23 runs off four overs.
Sri Lankans are in with a chance to complete One-Day and Test series double.
The visitors have already clinch the One-Day series 2-1.
Sri Lanka first innings
M.Atapattu not out 69
S.Jayasuriya c Banks b Collymore 8
K.Sangakkara lbw b Gayle 56
D.Jayawardene not out 14
Extras (w-2 nb-3) 5
Total (for two wickets) 152
Fall of wickets: 1-19 2-127
To bat: H.Tillakaratne, T.Samaraweera, R.Kaluwitharana, C.Vaas, K.Lokuarachchi, M.Muralitharan, P.Nissanka.
Bowling (to date) : Dillon 14-3-31-0 (w-2), Collymore 11-1-33-1 (nb-3), Taylor 11-0-50-0, Hinds 1-0-1-0, Banks 12-4-23-0, Gayle 5-0-14-1.
West Indies:
C.Gayle, D.Ganga, W.Hinds, B.Lara, R.Sarwan, M.Samuels, R.Jacobs, O.Banks, M.Dillon, C.Collymore, J.Taylor.—Reuters
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