MORATUWA. Shri Lanka. Dec 11: Shri Lanka s mesmerising spin attack skittled out the West Indian
batsmen for 204 and then scraped together a 29 run lead before bad light ended play in the third day of their one-off । Teat here Saturday, reports
AFP.
Trailing the West Indians by 14 runs after the first innings. Shri Lanka battled to 43 for two when play was abandoned 90 minutes early due to poor light.
The West Indian batsmen were bowled out for 204 in their first Innings. Only skipper Richie Richardson with 51. and Carl Hooper. 62. were able to come to terms with the Shri Lankan spin attack.
Shri Lanka's gamble to play only one paceman paid dividends with their four spinners' snaring all the wickets in the West Indian innings.
Recalled leftarm legspinner Don Anurasiri spearheaded the attack, bowling almost half of the 79 overs, to finish with figures of three for 77.
But it was right-arm off-spinner Muttiah Muralldharan who wove a mesmerising web soon after lunch as he grabbed three wickets in ten balls to send the West Indians tumbling from 191 for six to 204 all out.
At the close of play Aravinda de Silva was unbeaten on a belligerent 15, while Hashan Tlllekeratne was nine not out as Shri Lanka grimly tried to build a substantial second innings score.
The pair have so far added 25 runs for the third-wicket, with De Silva in attacking mood having hooked Courtney Walsh for a six and Winston Benjamin for a boundary.
Much will depend on De Silva. If Shri Lanka are to set the West Indians a winning target on this slow and spinning wicket.
Benjamin, who took four wickets in the first innings, bowled with venom once again
after putting his side back into the game by bagging the wicket of opener Roshan Mahnama in his second over, caught at forward short leg by Phil Simmons. to leave Shri Lanka on 17 for one'.
One run later, fellow opener DuUp Samaraweera was run out. backing down the wicket at the non-striker's end to be run Out by a direct hit from Curtly Ambrose.
The day began mor? promisingly for the West Indians with skipper Richie Richardson and Carl Hooper- resuming from their overnight total of 99 for four.
The pair progressed smoothly, using their feet well against the spinner to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Hooper, the more Impressive of the pair, hoisted Anurasiri over long on for four to bring up the 50 run partnership as the West Indies moved to 134.
Soon afterwards Richardson posted his 24th Test half-century. and with the score on 158. Shri Lanka got the much-needed breakthrough, when Richardson was adjudged out following two appeals.
Richardson stepped out to drive off-spinner Ruwan Kalpage. missed and was stumped by wicketkeeper Pub-udu Dassanayake. The leg umpire turned down the appeal, but the head umpire upheld another appeal, from the fielders. ruling Richardson out caught behind.
TV replays showed that Richardson was out of his crease when stumped.
His dismissal ended a dangerous partnership of 74 runs, and there was further Joy for Shri Lanka when Roger Harper was ruled leg before to Sanath Jayasuriya on the last ball of the morning session, to leave the West Indians on 178 for six. Anurasiri got the initial breakthrough after lunch when he had Junior Murray playing backand missing to be leg before with the score on 191.
Muralldharan then chipped
in. capturing the prize wicket of Hooper, caught at forward short leg. and then wiping off the West Indian tall in an inspired spell which left him with figures of four for 47.
SCOREBOARD
Scoreboard at close of play on the third day of the one-off Test between the West Indies and Shri Lanka, here Saturday.
SHRI LANKA: First Innings 190 (A de Silva • 53. A Ranatunga 31. B Kalpage 39. Benjamin 4 for 46, Ambrose 3 for 14).
WEST INDIES: (Overnight 99 for 4)
Haynes lbw Anurasiri 20 Simmons c Dassanayake
b Kalpage 17
Richardon c Dassanayake b Kalpage 51
Lara c Dasanayake b Muralldharan 18
Arthurton c Jayasuriya b Anurasiri 0
Hooper c Samaraweera b Muralldharan 62
Harper lbw Jayasuriya 3
Murray lbw Anurasiri 7
Benjamin b Muralldharan 2 Ambrose not out 7
Walsh c Kalpage b Muralldharan 0
Extras: (Lb-5. nb-12) 17
Total: 204
Overs: 78.5
Fall of wickets: 1-42: 2-42: 3-78: 4-84: 5-158; 6-178: 7-191: 8-191:9-204.
Bowling O M R W
Wickremaslnghe 11 0 35 0
Ranatunga 4 1 6 0
Anurasiri 35 6 77 3
Kalpage 10 2 27 2
Muralldharan 15.5 4 47 4
Jayasuriya ' 3 0 7 1
SHRI LANKA: 2nd innings Mahanama c Simmons b Benjamin 11
Smaraweera run out 5
Tlllekeratne run out 9
De Silva not out 15
Extras: (lb-2. nb-1) 3
Total: (2 wkts) 43
Fall of wickets: 1-17; 2-18.
Bowling O M R W
Ambrose ■ 6 2 13 0
Walsh 9.1 0 20 0
Benjamin 6 5 5 1
Harper 10 3 0