da apostaganha： West Indies bowlers enjoyed their first match practice of their Sri Lankatour on Thursday, easing fears that they would start the Test series nextweek under prepared, but they were still forced to toil hard in high heat bya strong Sri Lanka A side
Charlie Austin08-Nov-2001West Indies bowlers enjoyed their first match practice of their Sri Lankatour on Thursday, easing fears that they would start the Test series nextweek under prepared, but they were still forced to toil hard in high heat bya strong Sri Lanka A side at the palm-fringed Matara Sports Club.Sri Lanka A, fielding four players in the squad for the Galle Test starting13 November, batted sedately throughout the day to finish on 215 for fiveafter a patient half-century from opener Ian Daniel and an unbeaten 74 fromcaptain Hashan Tillakaratne.West Indies made two changes from the washed up game in Colombo earlier inthe week, bringing in 26-year-old leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine and fastbowler Colin Stuart. Barring injury, it will also be their Test side.They would not be unduly disappointed to have been forced to work so hard bythe Sri Lankans. All the bowlers had so far been consigned to the nets,where they have to operate off shortened run-ups. With the weatheruncertain, there were serious fears that they would lack match fitness nextweek.”The guys have been shocked into the reality of the higher heat and humidityin Sri Lanka,” said manager Ricky Skerrit after the day. “It’s been a toughday for the boys. You can do all the nets you want, but its not the same asmatch practice. It is going to take time to adjust, but today has helped.”Indeed, Reon King and Mervyn Dillion looked particularly rusty when theystarted off with the new ball. Dillon’s approach to the wicket was gingerlyin the extreme, whilst King looked like he was bowling with a heavy greencoconut. Gradually, however, their limbs loosened and when the second newball was taken, it could be clearly heard smacking into Ridley Jacobsgloves.Colin Stuart, 28, was the pick of the pacemen in the morning, before he leftthe field with leg cramps in the afternoon. With his slightly strained,rocking run he was bang on target, sharp through the air and occasionallybeat the bat off the seam. He took two wickets, including that of Daniel,whose patient innings had dominated the first half of the day.Daniel had burst onto the Sri Lankan cricket scene in the Under 19 World Cupin 1999, when he was the highest run scorer and was earmarked as a futureTest player. Since then, he has struggled after personal tragedy and anapparent loss of confidence. This season, though, he is back on track andlooking good.He is an organised and efficient player, who is prepared to wait patientlyfor a bad ball. He was hit on the helmet early on by a short ball by King,but retained his composure and thereafter coped well with the extra pace ofthe West Indies pace trio. He went to score 62 from 112 balls, before Stuartdeceived him with a full-length delivery and trapped him lbw.Stuart also accounted for the first wicket of the day, Pradeep Hewage for10, when he replaced King and had the opener caught off his top edge with askidding short delivery.Number three batsman Dammika Sudharshana gave Daniel dogged support, taking63 deliveries to score 15, before leg-spinner Ramnarine deceived him with anippy googly that turned sharply, to leave Sri Lanka A 69 for two after 36overs.The home side had scored just 29 more when left-handed Michael Vandort -retained in next weeks Test squad, but unlikely to play – was cracked on thewrists by Dillon and forced to retire hurt.West Indian captain, Carl Hooper, then gave himself and Ramnarine anextended bowl in tandem, in which he picked up the wickets of TillakaratneDilshan, caught behind as he tried to cut, and Vandort, upon his return,trapped lbw with an arm ball.The Sri Lankan innings, though, was held together by Tillakaratne, who wasnot originally due to play, but was drafted in after the wash out in Colomboearlier in the week. The management were concerned over his lack of matchpractice, but he looked fluent, scoring a businesslike and unbeaten 74.After the fall the fifth wicket, with the score on 167-5, he was wellsupported by unusually watchful Suresh Perera, who has been buoyed by thenews that his action has now been cleared. Perera was 18 not out at theclose having added 48 runs for the sixth wicket Tillakaratne.