West Indies v Sri Lanka - Test Series

[Kristin5]

Chandana's heroics fail to win him Test berth
Charlie Austin - June 9, 2003

Upul Chandana's matchwinning performance with the bat in the second one-day international at Bridgetown, which helped Sri Lanka storm to a dramatic series-clinching four-wicket win, came too late to earn him selection into the 16-man Test squad, which was named today.

Chandana and Naveed Nawaz, a middle-order batsman yet to play in the series, will return home after the final game in St. Vincent on Wednesday. They will be replaced by Hashan Tillakaratne, captain of the Test squad, Thilan Samaraweera, an offspinning allrounder, and Thilan Thushara Mirando, an uncapped left-arm pace bowler.

Samaraweera, 26, returns to the Test squad after recovering from a hand injury that ruled him out of the recent drawn home series against New Zealand. He is yet to cement a regular berth despite a bright start to his international career that began in 2001. In 10 Tests so far, he has scored 581 runs at 83, and taken 11 wickets at 30.54.

For the 22-year-old Thushara, it will be his second tour with the national squad. He was included after Dilhara Fernando failed to recover from a lingering injury in his lower back. Thushara as taken 103 wickets in 42 first-class matches.

The Test specialists will leave Colombo today, and will arrive in the West Indies well before Sri Lanka's three-day warm-up match in St. Vincent on June 14. The first Test starts in St. Lucia on June 20, while the second one will be played in Jamaica from June 27.

The squad
Marvan Atapattu, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Hashan Tillakaratne (capt), Romesh Kaluwitharana (wk), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas, Dharshana Gamage, Prabath Nissanka, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Kumar Dharmasena, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dinusha Fernando, Thilan Samaraweera, Thilan Thushara Mirando.

[Donny]

Should be most interesting.

The first Test starts on June 20 with the second on June 27.

The Windies have been brought back to earth with a thud by the wily Sri Lankans in the first two ODIs. On their day, either team is capable of causing havoc.

The Windies showed this with their world record run chase against the Aussies in the recent 4th. Test and the Sri Lankans chased 312, last Sunday, and got them !!

What do you reckon, Clokey, can the Calypso Cavaliers get up ?

[HAL]

What am I testing?

[Donny]

Lawson unlikely for Sri Lanka Tests
Wisden CricInfo staff - June 11, 2003

Jermaine Lawson is unlikely to play any part in the West Indies' forthcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, but whether this is due to a back injury or his suspect action is unclear. According to The Barbados Nation, neither Ricky Skerritt, the West Indies manager, nor Brian Lara have received any official reports on Lawson's progress.

Lawson's action was reported by the umpires and investigated by the match referee Mike Procter during the fourth Test against Australia in Antigua last month. Lawson took a Test-best 7 for 78 in the match, but has since been working with a specialist advisor appointed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), along with a specialist from the ICC, in order to straighten out the kink in his delivery. To make things worse, he has since suffered a back injury which ruled out any chance of a comeback in the one-day series against Australia and Sri Lanka.

Lara admitted he wasn't too hopeful about Lawson's chances of making the starting XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka, starting on June 20. "We are not sure about the situation with Lawson," he said. "To be honest with you, I've tried to find out a few things. I understand he is now starting to bowl because of his fitness. He was not selected because of the situation with his bowling, but more because of his fitness.

"Remedying his bowling is now about to start," added Lara. "My own opinion is that it will be difficult to see him getting ready for the first Test match next week."

[couragous cloke]

personally im devestated i can't view what will be some exciting cricket, Lara dominates against the lankans and i have to miss out, i think it'll be a 1all draw but im hoping for a mini white wash in the windies favour!

GO THE WINDIES!

[Donny]

Taylor drafted into West Indies Test squad
Wisden CricInfo staff - June 17, 2003

Jerome Taylor, the 18-year-old medium-pacer from Jamaica, is the only new face in West Indies' 14-man squad that will take on Sri Lanka in the first Test which starts on Friday, June 20 at St. Lucia. Taylor is spoken of highly in the Caribbean, and an impressive ODI debut against Sri Lanka capped a highly successful domestic season.

Taylor has played just seven first class matches, picking up 21 wickets at an average of 20.14, and was named the most promising bowler in the Carib Beer series this year. If he plays the Test, Taylor will become the youngest debutant for West Indies since Alfie Roberts played against New Zealand in Auckland in 1956.

The rest of the line-up is drawn largely from the squad which was beaten 1-3 in the four-Test series against Australia. There's room, though, for Corey Colleymore, who could be playing his first Test in four years. He has not played a Test since his debut against Australia in April 1999.

Squad
Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Devon Smith, Daren Ganga, Brian Lara (capt), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Omari Banks, Carlton Baugh Jr (wk), Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Jerome Taylor.

[couragous cloke]

i read some things about his performance in the previous ODI series and apparently he bowled extreamly well, spewin that i cant see him in action.

[Donny]

Sri Lanka contemplate playing extra batsman
Wisden CricInfo staff - June 18, 2003

Sri Lanka's team management is mulling over the final makeup of their Test team, weighing up whether to play a seventh batsman or a third fast bowler, according to Duleep Mendis, the team's interim coach.

Mendis, speaking after Sri Lanka's drawn three-day warm up match against a West Indies Cricket Board Presidents XI, expects the pitch for the opening Test at St Lucia on Friday to suit West Indies' pace bowlers.

"We have kept our options open till we see the pitch," said Mendis. "We have to decide between playing an additional batsman or a fast bowler. Looking at the team that West Indies have picked for the first Test we'll probably get a wicket which will seam about a bit."

Sri Lanka used the practice match to assess their bowling options, resting Chaminda Vaas and Prabath Nissanka, who will share the new ball, and Muttiah Muralitharan, who will lead the spin attack. Dharshana Gamage, Thilan Thushara and Dinusha Fernando - all young uncapped fast bowlers – are competing for the third fast bowler's slot.

Thushara, a left-armer, is the frontrunner with his extra pace and nip, but Dinusha Fernando's ability to swing the ball means that he too is a serious contender.

But Mendis was not overly impressed by their performance as the WICB XI scored 296. " I expected us to get them out for a much smaller score," he said. "At one stage we were doing ok but they got too close to our total. I am not satisfied because they shouldn't have got anything more than 250."

Regardless of the conditions – unless, that is, the St Lucia pitch resembles a paddy field – Sri Lanka will play two spinners: Muralitharan and either Kaushal Lokuarachchi or Kumar Dharmasena.

Should they decide against playing a third fast bowler, they would then have the chance to bolster their batting. Considering that this has been the weakest department of their game in recent months, this is a likely strategy.

Romesh Kaluwitharana could then slip down to number seven to make way for Tillakaratne Dilshan or Thilan Samaraweera. Dilshan's case for inclusion is excellent after a gritty return to the one-day side that has eased doubts over his temperament.

But Samaraweera, an offspinning allrounder, has a fabulous Test record. Currently averaging 83 after 10 matches, having already scored two centuries, he has just recovered from a hand injury that kept him out of the last series against New Zealand.

Mendis, although pleased that Kumar Sangakkara (41), Marvan Atapattu (59) and Hashan Tillakaratne (40) all got useful practice in the first innings, would have preferred to have seen more of both Dilshan and Samaraweera.

"I would have been much happier if the others had also got some runs before the first Test," said Mendis. "But it was good that Sanath (Jayasuriya) got a good knock in the second innings."

[Donny]

At stumps on the first day of the opening Test, Sri Lanka are in a good position at 4/250 with the marvelous Marvan Atapattu undefeated on 108. Sangakkara made 56 and Jayawardene, 45.

Collymore was the best of the bowlers with 2/41 from 15.1 overs.

[Donny]

Sri Lanka totalled 354. Atapattu only added 10 to his overnight score. Collymore took the bowling honours with 5/66 - his first 5 wicket haul in Tests. Gayle took 2/22 and Hinds, 2/28.

Hinds then turned it on with the bat to be 74 n.o. at stumps. His innings has taken only 87 balls and includes 4 sixes. Lara is on 36 and the Windies are 2/161 at almost 5 r.p.o.

They'll be looking for a big lead as batting on the last day could be perilous against the wily Murali and Co.

[Donny]

Windies attack after Sri Lanka's stodge
Wisden CricInfo staff - June 21, 2003

Attacking batting from West Indies lit up the second half of the second day's play in the inaugural Test in St Lucia. Wavell Hinds led the way with a forthright 74 not out as West Indies made a spirited reply to Sri Lanka's stolid 354.

Hinds, who biffed four sixes off the spinners, as well as three fours, played the major role in an unbeaten third-wicket stand of 95 with Brian Lara, who was also in attack mode during his innings. Neither batsman allowed the spinners to settle - important after Muttiah Muralitharan struck early on, pinning Chris Gayle in front with his arm ball for 27 (66 for 2). That followed another lbw decision, when Daren Ganga (12) was beaten by Chaminda Vaas (18 for 1).

Thoughts of the follow-on were banished by the aggressive Hinds, and at stumps - which again came a few overs early, this time because of bad light - West Indies had reached 161 for 2.

Earlier Corey Collymore had marked his return to Test cricket with his first five-wicket haul as Sri Lanka were pegged back. Chaminda Vaas provided some dour resistance in the afternoon session, squeezing precious runs out of the tail, before the innings finally folded for 354.

After their lacklustre efforts yesterday, the West Indian bowlers were a rejuvenated lot this morning. Collymore and Merv Dillon troubled the batsmen with swing and seam, but it was Hinds's part-time wobblers which accounted for Marvan Atapattu for 118. Hinds coaxed Atapattu into a loose drive outside off stump, which he nicked straight to Lara at second slip (266 for 5).

Now Collymore took over. First Romesh Kaluwitharana (2) was adjudged leg-before to one that was slipping down the leg side (269 for 6). Then Kaushal Lokuarachchi edged low to Lara (285 for 7), and Thilan Samaraweera nicked one through to Ridley Jacobs (288 for .

Vaas and an uncharacteristically cautious Muralitharan (69 balls for 14) then dug in either side of lunch, putting on 38 for the ninth wicket. Hinds again proved the partnership-breaker, trapping Muralitharan leg-before with the fourth ball of a new spell (326 for 9).

But there was more frustration for West Indies as Vaas and Prabatha Nissanka eked out 28 for the last wicket in nearly an hour, before Vaas, whose 38 occupied 125 balls, was caught behind off Gayle. Hinds finished with 2 for 28, but the bowling honours went to Collymore, with 5 for 66.

Lara will be looking to continue the attack on the third morning. West Indies need a big score, as the pitch is already taking spin and they will not want to face a big fourth-innings target with Murali on the case.

[couragous cloke]

GROS ISLET, St. Lucia - The West Indies dismissed Sri Lanka for 354 in their first innings just before tea on the second day of the historic first Cable and Wireless Test at Beasuejour Cricket Ground here today.
Resuming from 309 for eight at lunch, the last three Sri Lankan tail-end batsmen frustrated the West Indies by adding a further 45 runs in 29.2 overs.

Left-hander Chaminda Vaas was last man out for an invaluable 38, which included four fours off 125 balls in 170 minutes.

Vaas and off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who made a dogged 14 in 100 minutes, added 38 vital runs for the ninth wicket while fast bowler Prabath Nissanka weighed in with 13 not out as added another 28 runs were added for the last wicket.

Seam bowler Corey Collymore, who did the damage in the pre-lunch session with an incisive bowling performance of 11-2-21-3 with the second new ball, ended with career-best figures of five for 67 off 29 overs.

Medium pacer Wavell Hinds broke the ninth-wicket stand in his first over when he replaced the wicketless Mervyn Dillon by trapping Muralitharan leg before wicket to end with two wickets for 28 runs.

Off-spinner Chris Gayle wrapped up the Sri Lankan innings having Vaas caught by wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs to also end with two wickets for 22 runs.

Fast bowlers Mervyn Dillon and 18-year-old debutant Jerome Taylor were both wicketless, conceding 48 and 97 runs in 29 and 27 overs respectively.

The West Indies will begin their first innings after the tea interval.

[Lazza]

My winning double for this weekend.

Sri Lanka and Collingwood........

Murali to be MOM and Bucks to be BOG.

Go Lankans and go 'pies!

[couragous cloke]

your winning double is farked LAZZA! GO WINDIES!

[Lazza]

Hey courageous Clokey dude,

I love the Windies too man but not when they are playing my beloved Sri Lankans!! The pitch will take more and more spin and wizzard Murali (SL's mighty Bucks) will clean up Tarrant like! The windies dont play spin very well and SL has entered this game with four spinners. (Murali, Lokuarrachi, Jayasuria and Samaraweera). If SL get a lead of more than 200 in their secong innings, bye bye Windies like bye bye Carlscum!!