WI vs SL: New Windies Skipper Brathwaite Helps Pile Pressure On Sri Lanka

Kraigg Brathwaite effected a sharp run out to complement the work of his bowlers as they reduced Sri Lanka to 54 for three at lunch on Sunday, the opening day of the first Test of the two-match series.

After opting to bowl first after winning the toss at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, new West Indies captain Brathwaite introduced the spin of Rahkeem Cornwall after just seven overs and gained immediate returns.

Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne, badly missed by Jermaine Blackwood at backward-point off pacer Kemar Roach in the previous over, fell to the off-spinner for 12 after a smart catch by John Campbell at forwarding short-leg.

Brathwaite's speed and accuracy then accounted for Oshada Fernando. Lahiru Thirimanne nudged the ball into the offside and the batsmen set off for a sharp single but Oshada was well short when the new West Indies skipper, running in from cover, hit the stumps at the striker's end.

 

Thirimanne and former captain Dinesh Chandimal were within minutes of surviving to the interval when Jason Holder, who has lost the Test captaincy to his fellow-Barbadian, induced an edge from Chandimal for wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva to snare a regulation catch. Thirimanne will resume in the afternoon session on 30.

Despite closing off the three-match One-Day International series a week earlier with a match-winning century, Darren Bravo was omitted from the West Indies final eleven before the start of play together with left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, who featured in the wins in Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka has endured a miserable Caribbean campaign so far, losing the T20 International series 2-1 and then being swept 3-0 in the ODI's.

However, one of their few encouraging performers, middle-order batsman Pathum Nissanka, has been given a Test debut.