Udara and Bhanuka tons flush Lahiru blues
Besides a routine failure by Lahiru Thirimanne and an uncharacteristic first-ball dismissal of new hope Kusal Mendis, the Sri Lanka Board XI lads made a well made covering at the end of the second day of their three-day warm-up against the West Indies at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground, yesterday.
Suraj Randiv (R) took a five wicket haul as SLC XI took control of the game - Pix by Amila Gamage
Two youngsters, Udara Jayasundera and Minod Bhanuka made amends for the early folly as SLB President’s XI reached a commanding 232 for 3 at close of play after making a meek batting display against the wiles of off-spinner Suraj Randiv who bagged 5 for 73 and thus limited the opposing total to only 209. Both young batsmen had the honour of having three figures against their names.
The West Indians were a pale shadow of their mighty image that shone like a cricketing beacon nearly three decades ago. The architecture of that gigantic image, Sir Clive Lloyd, was engaged in a long chat with West Indies cricket team’s media manager at the SSC Press Box as if to understand how to change an almost impossible.
Sir Clive Lloyd is the current chairman of selectors of West Indies Cricket. The interim coach of the touring West Indies, former all rounder Eldine Baptist who played alongside with Sir Clive Lloyd, is another West Indies selector.
One can argue that the SSC wicket is usually a docile track but can anyone forget the fact that West Indians, who won the toss and elected to bat first, was nine wickets down for 166 at one juncture. Thanks to that 46-ball 54 from tailender Carlos Brathwaite, which included four sixes and four boundaries, took West Indians to the 200-run mark.
Kemar Roach dismissed 20-year-old Kusal Mendis and SLC XI skipper Thirimanne without bothering the scorers. In the bowling lineup everyone in the squad was given a bowl and the band lead by Jason Holder along with Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabrial, Marlon Samuels and Devendra Bishoo did not make the expected impact.
Wicketkeeper-batsman, Minod Bhanuka, who played for Sri Lanka Under-19s last year, was more aggressive of the two centurions. He reached his half century with a massive six off Samuels and his fifty included seven more hits to the rope.
Bhanuka with Udara Jayasundera, injected confidence and sent the ball to all corners of the ground with some delightful drives, cuts and pulls. Jayasundera took the momentum later to make a good chase and overtook his partner in the nineties before square cutting Devendra Bishoo to reach his three-figure in 209 minutes. Jayasundera, who was unbeaten on 124 at close of play, faced 177 balls and 19 of them reached the boundary while two flying over.
The third-wicket partnership of 214 runs was broken after a fantastic catch taken by Shai Hope at backward point to dismiss Bhanuka for 101. The 20-year- old left-hander drove off the front foot after facing 160 balls in his 242 minutes stay at the crease and included 15 boundaries and a six. The match ends today.
Scoreboard
West Indians
Kraigg Brathwaite lbw b Fernando 46
Rajendra Chandrika c Pathirana b Lakmal 18
Darren Bravo c Bhanuka b Randiv 21
Marlon Samuels c Bhanuka b Lakmal 0
Jermaine Blackwood c Lakmal b Randiv 3
Shai Hope c Siriwardana b Randiv 26
Shane Dowrich c Jayasinghe b Randiv 3
Denesh Ramdin c Mendis b Fernando 20
Jason Holder c Jayasinghe b Randiv 0
Carlos Brathwaite c Jayasundera b Lakmal 54
Kemar Roach not out 11
Extras (b5, lb1, nb1) 7
Total (all out; 65.3 overs) 209
Did not bat: Devendra Bishoo, Shannon Gabriel, Rerome Taylor, Jomel Warrican
Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Chandrika), 2-78 (Bravo), 3-79 (Samuels), 4-94 (Blackwood), 5-96 (K Brathwaite), 6-113 (Dowrich), 7-136 (Hope), 8-136 (Holder), 9-166 (Ramdin), 10-209 (C Brathwaite)
Bowling: Suranga Lakmal 14.3-5-26-3 (1nb), Vimukthi Fernando 14-6-39-2, Lasanda Rukmal 6-1-24-0, Sachith Pathirana 2-0-18-0, Suraj Randiv 23-5-73-5, Milinda Siriwardana 6-1-23-0
SLC Board XI
Kusal Mendis c Blackwood b Roach 0
Udara Jayasundera not out 124
Lahiru Thirimanne c Ramdin b Roach 0
Minod Bhanuka c Hope b Holder 101
Milinda Siriwardana not out 3
Extras (b4, nb1) 5
Total (3 wicket; 58.4 overs) 233
To bat: Suranga Lakmal, Angelo Jayasinghe, Suraj Randiv, Sachith Pathirana, Lasadna Rukmal, Nuwan Kulasekara, Vimukthi Fernando, Kasun Madushanka, Sahan Nanayakkara
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Mendis), 2-0 (Thirimanne), 3-214 (Bhanuka)
Bowling: Kemar Roach 9-2-25-2, Shannon Gabriel 9-0-59-0 (1nb), Marlon Samuels 7-3-18-0, Jason Holder 8-2-16-1, Carlos Brathwaite 9-2-32-0, Jomel Warrican 9.4-0-45-0, Devendra Bishoo 7-1-34-0
Players per side: 15 (11 batting, 11 fielding)
Toss: West Indians, elected to bat