Young Bravo shines but Lankans in control

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CMC):

Stylish stroke-maker Darren Bravo compiled another classy half-century to lead a West Indies resurgence but was one of two key wickets to fall in the day's penultimate over, as Sri Lanka took a firm grip on the second Test here yesterday.

The 21-year-old left-hander carved out an accomplished, composed 80 to revive West Indies on the third day of the contest at the R Premadasa Stadium after they slipped to 77 for three in reply to the hosts' 387 for nine declared.

However, he and vice-captain Brendan Nash (29) fell within three balls of each other to leave West Indies tottering at 165 for five when bad light ended play prematurely with an hour still left in the day.

Bravo and Nash had shared 83 for the fourth wicket to pull the Windies around after they lost their two most senior batsmen in Chris Gayle (30) and Shiv Chanderpaul (8).

With dark clouds hovering in the late evening and umpires keeping an anxious watch on the skies, captain Kumar Sangakkara turned to part-time off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan who promptly tossed the game on its head.

He sent back Nash with the fourth delivery of his second over when the left-hander was lbw to a straight delivery at 160 for four, after counting three fours off 61 balls.

Dilshan then tempted Bravo into his first real indiscretion two balls later, inducing the batsman to spoil a mature innings by attempting an injudicious swish at an ordinary delivery for Rangana Herath to take a brilliant running, diving catch at cover point off a spiralling top-edge.

Umpires then decided that conditions were unfit to continue.

It was a disappointing way to end a vigorous fightback by the tourists, with Bravo leading the way with a polished knock that required 129 balls and included five fours and four sixes.

Poise and assurance

Playing only his second Test, the Trinidadian batted with the poise and assurance of a veteran, playing with a straight bat while showing a penchant for attacking the spinners by using his feet against them.

Earlier, impressive fast bowler Kemar Roach snatched his second career five-wicket haul to help limit the Sri Lankans, after they resumed the day at 294 for five.

Roach finished with five for 100 as the hosts added 93 runs for the loss of four wickets in the morning session.

Sangakkara carried his overnight 135 to 150 while Prasanna Jayawardene hit 34 and Herath 24 not out.

In the 16 balls available before the lunch, there was enough time for right-arm seamer Nuwan Kulasekara to trap rookie opener Adrian Barath lbw for three, as the 20-year-old pushed forward to one that nipped back.

Barath subsequently challenged the decision but replays vindicated umpire Richard Kettleborough, leaving the Windies perched uncertainly on seven for one at the interval.

West Indies flourished when Bravo joined Gayle in a stand of 44 for the second wicket, but Gayle's dismissal and that of Chanderpaul put the innings under pressure.

Gayle dominated proceedings after lunch, plundering boundaries off debutant fast bowler Suranga Lakmal before perishing to a catch by Angelo Matthews at deep square leg off the same bowler at 51 for two.

Chanderpaul spent 40 balls over eight before playing around a straight delivery from mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis and falling lbw to leave the Windies on 77 for three.

Bravo, though, proved unflappable, and while at ease against the varied Sri Lankan attack, took a special liking to the spinners.

Twice in one over from the left-arm spinner Herath, Bravo used his feet to find the boundary - lofting the first ball over long on for six and following up with another big stroke which fell just inside the ropes for four.

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka 1st Innings

(overnight 294 for five)

K. Sangakkara c Gayle b Sammy 150+P Jayawardene b Benn 34N Kulasekara c DJ Bravo b Roach 17R Herath not out 2A Mendis b Roach 2Extras (b4, lb12, w14, nb3) 33Total (9 wkts dec; 115.2 overs) 387

Did not bat: S Lakmal.

Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Dilshan), 2-31 (Paranavitana), 3-34 (M Jayawardene), 4-204 (Samaraweera), 5-273 (Mathews), 6-325 (Sangakkara), 7-349 (P Jayawardene), 8-383 (Kulasekara), 9-387 (Mendis)

Bowling: Roach 28.2-5-100-5, Sammy 35-8-80-2, DJ Bravo 18-5-61-1, Benn 19-4-57-1, Shillingford 15-0-73-0.

West Indies 1st innings

C. Gayle c Mathews b Lakmal 30A. Barath lbw b Kulasekara 3D. M. Bravo c Herath b Dilshan 80S. Chanderpaul lbw b Mendis 8B. Nash lbw b Dilshan 29D.J. Bravo not out 1+C Baugh not out 4Extras (lb3, nb7) 10Total (5 wkts; 45 overs) 165

To bat: S Shillingford, S Benn,D Sammy, K Roach.

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Barath), 2-51 (Gayle), 3-77 (Chanderpaul), 4-160 (Nash), 5-161 (DM Bravo).

Bowling: Mendis 7-0-30-1, Lakmal 11-0-67-1, Kulasekara 7-4-10-1, Herath 15-3-50-0, Mathews 3-2-1-0, Dilshan 2-0-4-2.

Toss: Sri Lanka.

Umpires: Asad Rauf, R Kettleborough

TV: S Davis.