Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood sewed together a 62-run opening stand to give West Indies a strong beginning with the bat. Downpour struck not long before Tea and guaranteed the last meeting was likewise cleaned out as West Indies went to stumps at 69 for 1. While there’s a lot of work left to be placed in, West Indies will be happy with the manner in which the day worked out for them particularly subsequent to keeping Sri Lanka to only 204.

Sri Lanka were 113 for 1 coming into the day however had the option to summon a little all out politeness Veerasammy Permaul and Jomel Warrican dividing nine wickets among them to limit Sri Lanka. Spinners picked every one of the ten wickets to fall in the Sri Lanka innings with Permaul sacking a five-for, Warrican getting four and Roston Chase contributing with one wicket on the first day of the season.

Oshada Fernando and Nissanka played out some brazen minutes yet got comfortable having batted for six overs in the day. West Indies were in urgent need of a wicket to the score past 130 when Warrican made the leap forward. Fernando was quick to fall on the day preceding Permaul went onto his own. There was no genuine association of substance from that point on as Sri Lanka plunged to permit West Indies back in the game. Nissanka fell in the 49th over, Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka were to next two to fall – each of the three to Permaul – as Angelo Mathews attempted to hold one end up and manufacture an organization. Mathews battled with injury and needed to resign hurt with his support in the Test still dicey.

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Dinesh Chandimal (2), Ramesh Mendis (5), Suranga Lakmal (12) and Lasith Embuldeniya (1) neglected to stay close by however successive sixes from Mathews, who got back to continue his innings, took the side beyond 200.

Having batted four overs securely before the mid-day break, Brathwaite and Blackwood did well to keep the Sri Lanka bowlers under control for the initial 27 overs. The pair was exposed to another twist torrent – by Lasith Embuldeniya, Praveen Jayawickrama and Ramesh Mendis – and did well to keep the runs streaming. While the chief dove in and made unbeaten 22 off 77, Blackwood was more certain in his methodology and got 44 off 99 preceding he caught lbw by Jayawickrama. Twelve conveyances post the wicket, downpour showed up to guarantee the authorities had to take the players off the field. Nonetheless, in that time, Sri Lanka tested a call against Brathwaite and lost their audit with the ball missing the stumps.

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Brief scores : Sri Lanka 204 (Pathum Nissanka 73; Veerasammy Permaul 5-35, Jomel Warrican 4-50) lead West Indies 69/1 (Jermaine Blackwood 44) by 135 runs.