An unbroken stand of 100 for the sixth wicket between Tillakeratne Dilshan and Chamara Silva helped Sri Lanka recover on the rain-marred opening day of the second and final Test against West Indies on Thursday.
Dilshan was unbeaten on 58 and Silva was not out on 37, as Sri Lanka, sent in to bat, reached 217 for five in their first innings when bad light stopped play 20.3 overs early on the opening day at Queen’s Park Oval.
In between three breaks for rain, Sri Lanka were struggling on 117 for five, but Silva joined Dilshan, and they punished wayward West Indies bowling to put their side back on track.
Dilshan reached his 50 just prior to the close, when he guided Sri Lanka’s wrecker-in-chief Fidel Edwards through backward point for two. Silva was no less enterprising with the cut and the pull some of his most productive strokes.
Greeted by a helpful pitch, things had started well for Sri Lanka who has been put into bat.
But the tourists were wobbling when Edwards captured two wickets in the space of 12 balls in the final hour before lunch to leave the visitors on 89 for two at the interval.
When play continued following a 20-minute delay after lunch, only 27 minutes were possible, and Marlon Vandort was caught by the wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin down the leg-side off Edwards for 30.
Sri Lanka were 98 for three when play was again interrupted for just over an hour. When play resumed, another intriguing 45 minutes Thilan Samaraweera, was caught at first slip for six off Taylor, who also bowled Mahela Jayawardene for 26.
The clouds continued to hover and soon drenched the Caribbean’s most used international venue, but Dilshan and Silva made hay when the sun shone again.
Edwards finished the day with 3-50 while Taylor grabbed 2-63.
Sri Lanka lead the series 1-0, after they won the opening Test at Guyana by 121 runs.
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