Sri Lanka 'A' vs Windies 'A' starts today
Sa'adi Thawfeeq reporting from Kurunegala
Wickremasinghe unavailable
Sri Lanka discard fast bowler Pramodya Wickremasinghe has pulled out of the first four-day unofficial Test between Sri Lanka 'A' and West Indies 'A' beginning at the Welagedera Stadium today.
Wickremasinghe, who was named in the eleven, has made himself unavailable on medical grounds.
Cricket Board sources said that Wickremasinghe has been medically advised to rest, but failed to give any reasons for him taking such a decision.
PLAYING POORLY
Wickremasinghe has been playing poorly in the recent past and was left out of the Sharjah tournament (beginning today), in order to give him a chance of regaining his place in the senior side with some good performances for the 'A' side against the West Indies 'A'. However, the present turn of events will only prove a setback for him, from making an early return to the senior team.
Knocking on the door are young fast bowlers like Nuwan Soysa, who will now share the new ball today with Mario Villavarayen, and Wendell Labrooy, who is being sent here from Colombo to take Villavarayen's place in the reserves. Wickremasinghe's position has virtually been filled by left-armer, Sanjeeva de Silva in the senior one-day team.
LOT OF TROUBLE
However, the key to Sri Lanka 'A's success over their West Indian counterparts lies with left-arm leg-spinner Jayantha Silva. If the big turning Silva can reproduce the same form he showed against Zimbabwe, whom he spun to defeat in two Tests, taking 13 wickets for 100 runs, then Windies 'A' are in for a lot of trouble.
For that to happen, the weather has to remain dry. There has been occasional overnight showers here, and although yesterday was sunny, the Windies could not do anything more than have some fielding practice and exercises at the stadium before calling it a day.
''The wicket was very wet, perhaps affected by the rain overnight and in the past couple of days. There were no real nets here, and it is difficult to practice under such circumstances,'' said West Indies 'A' captain Roger Harper yesterday.
''We'll have to make the most of it and be ready when tomorrow (Thursday) comes,'' he said.
BROKEN NOSE
Windies will make their final selection without injured allrounder Laurie Williams, who was still in Colombo receiving treatment for a broken nose by courtesy Nuwan Soysa in the tour 'opener' last week. Williams is expected to join the team today.
One area the West Indies 'A' wont have to worry about is their batting. Openers Stuart Williams and Philo Wallace have both scored centuries, while middle-order batsman David Joseph and Tony Powell have hit half-centuries in the two games leading upto today's 'Test'.
West Indies' main concern would be their bowlers who have been unable to bowl sides out under a total of 240.
BEST OPPORTUNITY
For Sri Lanka 'A' skipper Marvan Atapattu, this is the best opportunity to show his true capabilities as a batsman of international class. He has been in and out of the national team on three occasions, and it has not helped his cause. This is the fourth occasion he has been picked to lead a second string side the previous occasions being the under 18 schools tour to England in 1988, the youth Asian Cup in Bangladesh in 1989 and against the touring Australian Academy in 1992. Atapattu will bat at No. 4.
The series is also vital for cricketers like Ruwan Kalpage, Sanjeeva Ranatunga and Duleep Samaraweera, all discards from the senior side, to perform well and catch the selectors' eye.
THE TEAMS
SRI LANKA 'A' - M. S. Atapattu (captain), D. P. Samaraweera, R. R. Arnold, S. Jayantha, S. Ranatunga (vice-captain), I. S. de Saram, S. K. L. de Silva, R. S. Kalpage, M. Villavarayan, K. J. Silva, N. Soysa.
WEST INDIES 'A' - R. A. Harper (captain), S. C. Williams, P. A. Wallace, F. L. Reifer, D. R. E. Joseph (vice-captain), T. O. Powell, S. G. B. Ford, O. D. Gibson, R. N. Lewis, C. E. Cuffy, A. Samaroo, N. B. Francis, M. V. Nagamootoo, R. D. Jacobs.
UMPIRES - P. Manuel and D. A. S. Dissanayake.
====> Day 1
Marvan Atapattu played a captain's knock of 104 to steer Sri Lanka 'A' to a first-day total of 253 for eight wickets in the first 4-day unofficial cricket Test against West Indies 'A' at the Welagedera Stadium Thursday.
Atapattu came to the wicket with his side struggling at 16 for 2 after being put into bat first on a wicket affording the West Indian pacemen enough early morning movement.
The right-hander was fortunate to survive three chances before reaching fifty, to go and complete what was to be his first century against international opposition.
Atapattu was given lives; at 14, 37 and 45, the unfortunate bowlers being Ottis Gibson and Cameron Cuffy - before settling down to play some attractive strokes, to reach his century in the 78th over of the day off 175 balls with 10 fours in 310 minutes.
Atapattu became one his vis-a-vis Roger Harper's three wickets for the day when he hit back an easy catch to Philo Wallace at short leg.
Before his dismissal, Atapattu shared in stands of 70 for the fourth wicket with Sanjeeva Ranatunga, 77 for the sixth with Lanka de Silva and 65 for the seventh with Ruwan Kalpage.
Apart from Atapattu's fine knock, the rest of the Sri Lanka 'A' batting failed against the West Indies combination of pace and spin.
The plight of the Sri Lankans would have been worse had not the West Indian fielders shoddy performance on the field.
The Sri Lankan innings got off to a bad start when Test opener Duleep Samaraweera ran himself out needlessly without having faced a single ball. Samaraweera backed up too far from the non-striker's end and failed to beat Nigel Francis's direct thrown from mid-off.
The West Indians never looked back from that unexpected bonus and kept the pressure on the Sri Lankan's throughout the day.
====> Day 2
Wallace second century
Windies 'A' in strong position
Barbadian Philo Wallace powered his way to a second successive century on the current tour of Sri Lanka, to help West Indies 'A' end the second day of the first unofficial cricket Test in a position of strength at 264 for three wickets at the Wellagedera Stadium yesterday - five runs behind the Sri Lanka 'A' first innings total of 269.
The powerfully built six foot tall right-hander who scored 125 against the Sri Lanka Board Presidents XI, continued his line form to make 124. Wallace reached his stroke-filled century off 116 balls and when he was eventually caught by De Saram at longon, he had batted 217 minutes and faced 143 balls, hitting 13 fours and four sixes.
Wallace and Stuart Williams put on 87 for the first wicket in 81 minutes, before the latter edged a catch to wicket-keeper Lanka de Silva off the persevering Mario Villavarayan. Williams scored 39 with five fours.
Left-hander Floyd Reifer joined Wallace and carried West Indies to 188 for one. But then Reifer was forced to retire with his personal score on 27 due to cramps. By that time, the second wicket pair had added 101 runs.
David Joseph the vice-captain of the team, who replaced Reifer, had his innings cut short before he had opened his account when he was given out caught behind the wicket off left-arm spinner Jayantha Silva. The decision did not please the batsman. He walked back to the pavilion slowly and showed his displeasure by smashing a few bottles in the dressing room.
Wallace who followed soon afterwards, also had some doubts about the catch taken by De Saram on the boundary line and stood his ground before departing.
Tony Powell and skipper Roger Harper carried West Indies to the close-brought forward by two overs, due to bad light-with an unfinished fourth wicket stand of 49.
The Sri Lanka 'A' innings added a further 16 runs for the last two wickets in 67 minutes before they were dismissed for 269. Ruwan Kalpage tried his best to shield to the two tailenders, but eventually was last man out for 45 scored in 174 minutes with the aid of a six and two fours. Cuffy and Gibson took a wicket each with the second new ball.
====> Day 3
Sri Lanka 'A' in danger of defeat in unofficial Test: Marvan to Sharjah
Sri Lanka 'A' fighting with their backs to the wall to save the first 4-day unofficial Test against West Indies 'A' will lose the services of their captain Marvan Atapattu, who has been called up as the 14th player to Sharjah.
Atapattu, who scored a century in the first innings, was unbeaten on 30 runs at the end of the third day when Sri Lanka 'A', trailing West Indies 'A' by 201 runs on the first innings, finished on 86 for 2 wickets - still requiring a further 115 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Today is the final day of the 'Test'. Batting with Atapattu is Saman Jayantha on 19.
Atapattu however, will not be able to continue his innings today and save his side from defeat because he will be taking the flight to Sharjah in the afternoon. He left for Colombo Saturday night.
The SSC right hander was summoned to Sharjah Saturday afternoon, and it is reliably understood that he will replace Asanka Gurusinha in the Sri Lanka side for the Champions Trophy match on Monday.
Sri Lanka are also facing an injury problem with Kumara Dharmasena in the injury list, but however Cricket Board sources said that Atapattu was not being summoned as a replacement for Dharmasena.
Fast bowler Cameron Cuffy gave West Indies 'A' the initial breakthrough, as in the first innings, by taking two wickets in his opening spell. Cuffy sent back openers Russel Arnold for three, caught off the outside edge at slips and Duleep Samaraweera for 21, caught at silly mid-off, trying to fend off a sharp rising delivery.
Atapattu coming to bat at the fall of the first wicket and Jayantha with stood some hostile fast bowling by the West Indies to survive till the close.
West Indies 'A' continuing from their overnight total of 264 for 3 wickets, added a further 206 runs, before declaring at 470 for 9-35 minutes after the tea break, leaving Sri Lanka 'A' the task of surviving 22 overs. Bad light cut short play by nearly two overs.
The West Indies batting stars of yesterday were left handers Tony Powell (87) and Floyd Reifer (96) and skipper Roger Harper (51).
Powell and Harper, the overnight pair, carried their fourth wicket partnership to 109 before the fast bowler Nuwan Soysa achieved the initial breakthrough of the day with the second new ball, by having Harper caught superbly by a diving Jayantha at second slip. Harper made 51 in 164 minutes with six fours.
Reifer, who retired hurt with cramps on the second day, returned to resume his innings from 27. Dropped at six by Sanjeeva Ranatunga off Soysa and then at 44 - a return catch to Jayantha Silva, Reifer made full use of these lapses to get within four runs of a century. He was caught in the slips by Atapattu one of three catches for him, off part time bowler Russel Arnold. Reifer batted 288 minutes and faced 232 balls hitting one six and eight fours.
Powell hit a chanceless 87 in 254 minutes with 10 fours before giving a return catch to Ruwan Kalpage.
Sri Lanka 'A' also missed Shane Ford at eight when wicketkeeper Lanka de Silva failed to stump him off Silva. The wicketkeeper went on to help Reifer in a sixth wicket stand of 63 his share being 27.
The West Indies tail did not last long, but with the last pair at the wicket, Harper applied the closure.
====> Day 4
Cuffy helps Windies 'A' handcuff Lankans
Cameron Cuffy produced one of his best fast bowling performances to condemn Sri Lanka 'A' to a 10-wicket defeat 50 minutes after lunch on the fourth and final day of the first unofficial cricket Test played at the Welagedera Stadium, yesterday.
On a pitch still good for batting, Cuffy with his tall height and deceptive change of pace forced the Sri Lanka 'A' batsman into errors to take seven wickets for 84 runs in 18.4 overs _ failing narrowly to beat the 7 for 80 for Windward Islands against Leeward Islands in 1995, which still remains as his career best in a five year first-class career.
Sri Lanka 'A' who started the day on a handicap at 86 for 2, had their morale dented to a great extent towards saving the match, with the loss of skipper Marvan Atapattu, who was pulled out midway from his innings of 30 to go to Sharjah yesterday.
Atapattu who took a century off the West Indies attack in the first innings was solely missed as his side was dismissed for 204 in mid-afternoon. None of the batsmen showed the technique to survive and score runs against bowling of the highest class at this level of cricket.
The West Indies only had to play a waiting game as each batsman who came to the wicket committed errors. The innings hardly had any substance as Cuffy wrapped up the low order in a post lunch spell of three wickets for eight runs to finish the match with a haul of 10 for 132.
The only noteworthy stand came from Lanka de Silva (18) and Ruwan Kalpage (35) who added 56 for the sixth wicket. A few lusty hits by tailender Ruwan Soysa saved Sri Lanka 'A' the ignominy of an innings defeat, but only just.
West Indies were left the formal task of making four runs to win which their openers achieved quite comfortably in seven balls.
The second 4-day unofficial Test between the two teams commences at the SSC grounds on Wednesday.