Off-spinner Suraj Randiv probably booked his place in Sri Lanka’s team for the third and deciding Test with a late hat-trick as the rest of the bowlers struggled more than they succeeded as Essex put up a bold fight after losing three early wickets to make 351 on the second day of their three-day match here in Chelmsford yesterday.
 |
| Suraj Randiv takes hat-trick. |
Randiv came into the picture in his 17the over to claim the late order batsmen and finish with four wickets after the Essex pair of Ryan ten Doeschate and Tom Westley played superior roles to keep the Sri Lankan bowlers at bay for 42 overs before parting company while associating in a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket taking the total from 24 for 3.
Sri Lanka’s main focus in the bowling before the final Test Dilhara Fernando conceded nine runs in his first over and needed almost eight overs to mark his presence and break the partnership by claiming the wicket of Tom Westley who tentatively pushed at a ball outside the off stump for wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal to take the catch with his score on 99.
The two batsmen smashed as many as 30 fours together before their separation but Sri Lanka had no respite after the exit of Westley as Ryan ten Doeschate, the Dutch overseas player for Essex, continued to batter the bowlers and all Fernando could do was bowl and watch the ball slammed to the boundary.
The next breakthrough came only after Thilan Samaraweera, captaining the team in the absence of Tillekaratne Dilshan, replaced Fernando with Thisara Perera who got batsman Ben Foakes to edge a ball to the keeper Chandimal.
Ryan ten Doeschate was bowled round his legs for 164 in 174 balls with 24 fours and one six after attempting a wild swing against a ball from spinner Suraj Randiv who toiled for almost 15 unsuccessful overs.
|
E-mail
