DESPITE some big hitting from Carlos Brathwaite to give the West Indies tail a wag, a Sri Lanka Board President’s XI have given the West Indies a less-than-ideal start to their tour of that country.Playing on the second day of their three-day warm-up game, the West Indies were struggling at 166 for 9 before Brathwaite struck four sixes and four fours to score 54 and take the West Indies to 202 all out.
The total was not good for much more than eating up some time in the game as the President’s XI, through centuries from Udara Jayasundera and Minod Bhanuka, made light work of the 202, to end the second day on 233 for three.
Jayasundera is unbeaten on 124, while Bhanuka scored an attractive 101 from 160 deliveries.
There were some bright spots for the West Indies as Kemar Roach and freshly minted Test skipper Jason Holder bowled well, keeping the stoke-playing batsmen in check.
In fact, Roach had started brightly, dismissing Kusal Mendis, the opener going caught at point by Jermaine Blackwood without scoring.
With the very next delivery, Roach was at it again, sending back Lahiru Thirimanne, caught wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.
There was not to be much more luck for the West Indies after that though, as Jayasundera and the 20-year-old wicketkeeper Bhanuka put on a partnership of 214, before Holder nabbed the latter off a Shai Hope catch.
West Indies spinners Devendra Bishoo and Jomel Warrican toiled without success and, in fact, were pushed hard, with the Sri Lankans scoring at more than four and a half per over off their bowling.
Warrican ended the day having bowled 9.4 overs without a wicket and 45 runs coming from batsmen who faced him.
Roach was the pick of the bowlers with nine overs, two maidens, two for 25, while Holder was stingy, bowling eight overs, two maidens, one for just 16.
Bishoo, from whom much is expected on this tour, was woeful. Going for 4.85 runs per over, the spinner ended with figures of seven overs, one maiden, none for 34.
Jayasundera has so far struck 17 fours and two sixes from 177 deliveries, while Bhanuka had blasted 15 fours and a six in his 160-ball knock.
