Cricket

Sri Lanka openers deny Windies early success (1st Test, Day 1)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Openers Malinda Warnapura and Michael Vandort provided Sri Lanka with a solid start in the pre-lunch session on the first day of the first Digicel Test against West Indies at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence on Saturday.
 
The two left-handers took Sri Lanka to 85 without loss at the interval after captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and chose to bat.
 
Warnapura was the more impressive, playing a number of delightful strokes in an unbeaten 53 off 110 balls that has included seven fours.
 
The tall Vandort has offered good support in compiling an undefeated 32 off 76 balls.
 
West Indies’ attack, which includes two frontline fast bowlers because of the omission of Fidel Edwards, gained little assistance on a flat pitch despite getting some bounce from the surface in the first hour.
 
The regional side came closest to claiming a wicket in the day’s seventh over when Sulieman Benn missed a run out opportunity, with Vandort struggling to make his ground after racing through for a quick single.
 
West Indies have given a debut Test cap to left-arm spinner Benn, whose seven overs have cost 16 runs.
 
The hosts were forced to omit opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon because of a viral infection. Also left out of the 14-man squad was uncapped off-spinner Amith Jaggernauth..

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