Sri Lanka A’s batsmen strengthened their side’s grip on the final unofficial
Test at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium and at the end of the third
day Kenya looked unlikely to avert a series whitewash despite a solid start
to their second
CricInfo16-Feb-2002Sri Lanka A’s batsmen strengthened their side’s grip on the final unofficial
Test at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium and at the end of the third
day Kenya looked unlikely to avert a series whitewash despite a solid start
to their second innings.Throughout the first two days Kenya displayed greater fight than they had
done in the first two Tests, but to save the final Test on a wearing fourth
day pitch they will need to produce their most resolute performance of the
tour.Kenya’s openers, Kennedy Otieno (31) and Ravindu Shah (27), started their
second innings well, holding Sri Lanka A’s spinners at bay and surviving
unscathed the 19 overs till the close of play. They re-start on Sunday
morning on 61 without loss.They predicament could have been worse if Sri Lanka A had not erred on the
side of caution with their declaration, waiting for a full hour after tea
before calling it a day.By which time the hosts had amassed 361 for eight after a sturdy middle
order performance from Upul Chandana (73), Prassana Jayawardene (75 not out)
and Muthudalige Pushpakumara (45), which provided Kenya with an unassailable
404 run target.Sri Lanka A posted such an imposing target despite the quick loss of their
two remaining specialist batsmen in the morning.Tillakaratne Dilshan (8) feathered to the wicket-keeper off medium pacer
Joseph Angara in the second over and Chamara Silva (17) followed him back to
the dressing room soon after as misjudged a quick single (142 for five).The double strike prompted a soporific passage of play, as Sri Lanka A
consolidated and Kenya’s bowlers, buoyed by their morning success, bowled
with surprising discipline.But Chandana, stooped over his bat like a young Azharuddin, slowly raised
the tempo, pushing the Kenyan fielders hard with his whippet-like running
between the wickets and occasionally skipping down the wicket to loft a
drive.Jayawardene hung on adhesively at the other end, working the ball
efficiently into the gaps, as he tried to persuade the national selectors
that he is not only the most gifted gloveman in the country, but also a
useful lower batsman.His unbeaten 75 will have no doubt helped his cause for a berth on Sri Lanka
‘s three-Test tour of England. His stance is awkward and strokeplay
mechanical, but he concentrated hard and placed a high premium on his
wicket – highly valued attributes for this Sri Lankan side.Soon, Chandana and Jayawardene had taken the game well out of the reach of
the Kenyans. The pair added 92 before Chandana tried to launch his second
straight six of the day.But Pushpakamura, a 20-year-old all-rounder with great promise, carried on
where Chandana had left off and the scoreboard ticked along in the hour
before tea.With Jayawardene reaching his fifty just before the break, a teatime
declaration was anticipated, but Sri Lanka choose to carry on despite having
already established a 343 run lead.After tea, Pushpakumara perished whilst driving through the covers and
Pulasthi Gunaratne was soon trapped lbw by Angara, before Rangana Herath
produced an entertaining cameo, hitting 26 from just balls.
