Dimuth Karunaratne’s unbeaten 132 helped Sri Lanka reach 267/3 by stumps on Day 1 stumps in the first of the two-match Test series against West Indies in Galle.
Karunaratne, dropped on 14 by Jermaine Blackwood off Rahkeem Cornwall, went on to add 139 with Pathum Nissanka (56). It was Sri Lanka’s highest opening wicket stand against West Indies in Test cricket, and Karunaratne’s fifth consecutive score in excess of fifty. He will look to take Sri Lanka past 400 on Day 2.
During the first session, Karunaratne’s powerful pull off Roston Chase struck the helmet of debutant Jeremy Solozano at short leg. He was stretched off the field, and taken to the hospital for further tests. Cricket West Indies later confirmed that Solozano’s scans of the skull have not shown any structural damage. He will be admitted to ‘the hospital overnight for observation.’
West Indies started a fightback in the third session. Chase (2-42) dismissed Oshada Fernando (3) and Angelo Mathews (3) in the space of eight overs, as Sri Lanka slipped from 164/1 to 170/3. But Dhananjaya de Silva (56*) held the fort with Karunaratne, and batted 22.5 overs before the close of play, stitching an unbroken 97.
For West Indies, Jason Holder bowled eight maidens out of his 14 overs, but could not take a wicket. Shannon Gabriel got Nissanka, but went for more than four and a half an over.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 267/3 (Dimuth Karunaratne 132*; Roston Chase 2-42) vs West Indies.