SL ‘A’ Vs Windies ‘A’: Centuries galore as match ends in draw

Six centuries dominated the first unofficial Test between Sri Lanka ‘A’ and West Indies ‘A’ in St. Kitts which ended in a draw.

Both captains dug into the runs on offer as West Indies’ Kirk Edwards fell 10 short of a maiden first-class double-century and Dimuth Karunaratne hit a near run-a-ball century for Sri Lanka to follow a half-century in the first innings.

Opener Udara Jayasundera was the first man to three figures after his side won the toss and batted. Finishing with 13 boundaries to his credit, he supported Captain Karunaratne in a 104-run partnership. Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, whose last two outings for Jamaica fetched match returns of eight for 67 and six for 72, bore the lion’s share of the bowling with 51 overs and picked up six wickets.

But all-rounder Chaturanga de Silva ensured the foundation laid by the top order was not squandered, producing a solid century, which included three sixes. His 65-run stand with the No. 10, Suranga Lakmal took Sri Lanka ‘A’ to 472 in the first innings.

West Indies replied strongly, upping Sri Lanka’s century count by one as Leon Johnson scored his maiden first-class ton. Assad Fudadin and Edwards were the other centurions, who participated in a mammoth 256-run partnership for the second wicket.

Between the three of them, 67 boundaries were scored, including six sixes. Offspinner Tharindu Kaushal claimed five of the eight wickets to fall in his 58 overs. Miller’s third first-class fifty prompted West Indies ‘A’ to declare at 636.

With less than a day’s play left, Sri Lanka ‘A’ held firm, anchored by Karunaratne’s unbeaten century, studded with nine fours and two sixes, which along with his fifty in the first innings earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.