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Vaas bowls the wind out of the Windies
By Aubrey Kuruppu
Chaminda Vaas virtually left a sick bed to come out and bowl his team to the narrowest of a first innings lead on the second morning of the second test between Sri Lanka and the West Indies at the Asgiriya Stadium.

A very short, sharp shower at 10 a.m. caused play to start twenty five minutes late. More bad news came from the dressing room. Vaas, Muratlitharan and Jayawardene were all said to be under the weather.
Deonarine, who had shown admirable resolution and application the previous evening, added a further boundary before driving a Jayasuriya delivery back to him.

Fout runs later, the visitors lost two wickets and were driven to desperate straits. Ramdin played half cock to Vaas and was adjudged lbw by umpire Tony Hill. Three balls later Powell was bowled by a Vaas delivery about which he knew little or nothing.Omari Banks batted most competently for his 17 runs. He off drove Jayasuriya splendidly for a four and followed up by effervescently sweeping him to the square leg boundary in the very next delivery. But he found Muralitharan a different kettle of fish and duly succumbed.

Best forsook his natural aggression and played the orthodox shots, driving handsomely through mid-off and the covers to the boundary. This was Chaminda Vaas’ eleventh hand of five wickets or more in an innings. With the champion off spinner not at his menacing best, the value of the left armer’s performance was immensely enhanced. The latter part of the West Indian batting shored up the innings and, finally, the deficit was a mere two runs.
Atapattu and Jayasuriya put on 45 runs for the first wicket till a short shower brought a short halt to the game. Ironically both openers departed shortly after. After that sudden jolt the next in Sangakkara and Jayawardena batted with purpose to see Sri Lanka to 122 for 2 at tea with both batsmen unbeaten on their thirties.

Just before lunch Atapattu ducked into a Powell delivery that did not bounce as much as he expected. He was struck a sickening blow on the side of his head – once more the inestimable value of a helmet was evident. These are early times but if the Sri Lankans can bat better second time round and set the visitors a target of around 350 in the fourth innings, they could well fancy their chances of wrapping up the series 2-0. At close Sri Lanka were 146 for 2 when rain stopped play 29.1 overs early.

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