GALLE – Half-centuries from Nkrumah Bonner and Joshua da Silva brought a pinch of respectability to West Indies before left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya bowled Sri Lanka to a 187-run win in the first Test on Thursday.
Bonner was unbeaten on 68 and da Silva made 54, as the Windies were bowled out for 160 before tea on the final day of the match at the Galle International Stadium, chasing a highly improbable, if not impossible 387.
Bonner and da Silva were two of only three batsmen to reach double digits – Rahkeem Cornwall made 13 – and defied the practically all-spin Sri Lankan attack – led by Embuldeniya with 5-46 from 29 overs – to put on exactly 100 for the seventh wicket.
Resuming from their overnight total of 52 for six, West Indies got a lifeline from Bonner and da Silva, as they tackled the spin threat from the Sri Lankans with clever use of their feet in the face of a pitch offering plenty of turn.
Bonner, on 41, was adjudged lbw to off-spinner Ramesh Mendis in the final half-hour before lunch, but the batsman successfully reviewed the decision of umpire Ruhira Palliyaguruge.
Da Silva struck five fours from 129 balls in 2 3/4 hours at the crease before he fell about 15 minutes before lunch when he was caught at slip to become the third wicket for Embuldeniya.
But West Indies, chasing their first-ever Test win in Sri Lanka, collapsed after the resumed from 125 for seven at lunch with Cornwall, Jomel Warrian and Shannon Gabriel falling for seven in the span of 51 balls.
The second Test starts on Monday at the same venue.
Summarised scores:
SRI LANKA 286 (Dimuth Karunaratne 147, Dhananjaya de Silva 61, Pathum Nissanka 56, Dinesh Chandimal 45, Lasith Embuldeniya 17, Ramesh Mendis 13, Suranga Lakmal 11; Roston Chase 28.5-3-83-5, Jomel Warrican 3-87, Shannon Gabriel 2-69) and 191 for four declared (Dimuth Karunaratne 83, Angelo Mathews 69, Oshada Fernando 14, Dinesh Chandimal 10 not out; Jomel Warrican 2-42, Rahkeem Cornwall 2-60).
WEST INDIES 230 (Kyle Mayers 45, Kraigg Brathwaite 41, Rahkeem Cornwall 39, Jason Holder 36, Jermaine Blackwood 20, Joshua da Silva 15 not out, Shai Hope 10; Praveen Jayawickrama 4-40, Ramesh Mendis 3-75) and 160 (Nkrumah Bonner 68 not out, Joshua da Silva 54, Rahkeem Cornwall 13; Lasith Embuldeniya 29-12-46-5, Ramesh Mendis 4-64).
(AR)
