Sri Lanka off to robust start but Dimuth skips World Record – by Sunil Thenabadu (sports editor – eLanka)

Chief Scores: Sri Lanka 113 for 1 wicket. in 34.4 overs Pathum Nissanak 61 * Dimuth Karunaratne 42

•  There was dissatisfaction and annoyance as skipper Dimuth Karunaratne unexploited out on the prospect of matching the World Record for most consecutive half-centuries in Test cricket by just eight runs yesterday, but Sri Lanka did well to reach 113 for one at stumps in a rain-curtailed day where only 34.4 overs were bowled.

Rain had washed out the first two sessions of the Test match and play got underway only after tea with 45 overs scheduled but after 34.4 overs when  the umpires suspended play with 30 minutes left when the light faded.

Dimuth had been in pretty good nick this year and he missed out on the milestone when he offered a return catch to Roston Chase on 42. But by then, he had given Sri Lanka a solid start having added 106 runs for the first wicket with Pathum Nissanka.

Nissanka started off confidently and outscored his captain. West Indies reviewed when he was on 17 after a leg-before wicket shout off the bowling of Jason Holder was rolled down. The tourists lost the review after it surfaced that the wickets were missing.

There were some elegant strokes during Nissanka’s unbeaten 61 and his self-confidence was in show when he came down the track to left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and launched him over long-off for six. He achieved his third Test half-century by driving Holder straight down the ground.

West Indies appealed for a caught behind off Oshada Fernando before he had opened the account exhausting second review. Spinner Jomel Warrican prompted his skipper to go upstairs but that was a shocker. It’s not the first time that Warrican had wasted reviews and he seem to be in the same frame as Niroshan Dickwella, overzealous burning reviews needlessly.

Sri Lanka handed Chairth Asalanka his Test debut and he became the nation’s 157th Test cricketer. Sri Lanka effectively beefed up their batting by bringing in Asalanka for fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera. There was confirmation from the hosts that Angelo Mathews will share the new ball with Suranga Lakmal. It’s been a while since Mathews had bowled in Test cricket.

West Indies, meanwhile, left out Shannon Gabriel and Rahkeem Cornwall bringing in Kemar Roach and Permaul. The latter was playing his first Test match in six years.