Date-stamped : 09 Dec93 - 21:17 WI v SL, One-off T, 9-13 Dec 93, Moratuwa, Report ====> Day 1, 9 Dec 93 WEST INDIAN SPINNERS ON TOP Sri Lanka struggled against West Indies' spinners on a restricted first day of their inaugural Test in Colombo. Play started late because of a wet outfield and in the 165 minutes possible the hosts electing to bat made 66-3. Winston Benjamin achieved the initial breakthrough by dismissing Roshan Mahanama then Roger Harper and Carl Hooper each claimed a wicket. Contributed by goo-chie (jdw5@*.ukc.ac.uk) ====> Day 1, MORE Sri Lanka struggled against unaccustomed West Indies' spin on a restricted first day of the inaugural cricket test on Thursday. Play started late because of a wet outfield. In the 165 minutes possible, Sri Lanka, electing to bat, made 66 for three wickets. Winston Benjamin achieved the initial breakthrough by dismissing Roshan Mahanama, caught behind for 11 in the 17th over. For West Indies, whose strength is their fast bowling, playing two spinners was a rarity but off spinners Roger Harper and Carl Hooper managed to claim a wicket each. Harper, back in the team after four years, struck in his sixth over when Hashan Tilleke- ratne, still on nought, played a casual cut and offered first slip Brian Lara a simple catch. Hooper finally removed the obdurate test debutant Dulip Samara- weera by having him caught bat/pad by Hooper at backward short leg. Samaraweera batted 136 minutes for his score of 16 facing 110 balls. Aravinda de Silva batted bravely after being hit on the finger by Walsh at six to be 29 not out at the close. Captain Arjuna Ranatunga was on six. Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu) ====> Day 2, 10 Dec 93 Sri Lanka were struggling at 151 for six at lunch on the second day of the one-off Test against the West Indies on Friday. Resuming from their overnight total of 66 for three, Sri Lanka lost their most experienced batsmen Aravinda de Silva, captain Arjuna Ranatunga and Sanath Jayasuriya. All rounder Ruwan Kal- page (20) and wicketkeeper Pubudu Dasanayake (6) were the two un- beaten men at the wicket. Paceman Winston Benjamin took two wickets in successive balls in his fifth over of the morning to cause a slide after de Silva and Ranatunga had pushed the score to 106. Benjamin got the prize wicket of de Silva, who played the ball onto his stumps. De Silva was out for 53, his 12th Test half-century. In the next ball, Jayasuriya trying to glance, missed the ball and was ruled out leg before. Kalpage, who opened his account with a flashing cover drive to the boundary off Benjamin, and Ranatunga took the score to 130 before the Sri Lankan captain was out caught at first slip by Lara off the bowling of Walsh. Benjamin, who bowled with plenty of fire, returned the best figures in the morning session, taking two for 20 off seven overs. Contributed by vasa (Vasanthan.Dasan@*Sun.COM) ====> Day 3, 11 Dec 93 HOSTS CLAIM SLENDER ADVANTAGE Sri Lanka lead West Indies by 29 runs with eight second innings wickets in hand on day three of the Colombo Test. An 84 run stand by Richie Richardson and Carl Hooper looked to put the West Indies in charge but they were all out for 204 losing five wick- ets for just 36 In their second stint at the crease the hosts made 43-2 with Roshan Mahanama falling to Winston Benjamin for 11 and Dulip Samaraweera run out for just five. Contributed by goo-chie (jdw5@*.ukc.ac.uk) ====> Day 3 MORE Sri Lanka were 34 for two at tea on the third day of the one-off Test on Saturday after bowling out the West Indies for 204. Openers Roshan Mahanama and Dulip Samaraweera were both out soon after wiping out a 14-run first innings deficit as the West Indi- an attack bowled their side back into the match. Aravinda De Silva, who did not field during the West Indian innings due to a bruised finger, began by hooking his fourth ball from Courtney Walsh over the square leg boundary. Mahanama was first to go, out for 11, offering Simmons an easy catch at forward short leg off Benjamin and Test debutant Dulip Samaraweera followed after backing up at the non-striker's end and being run out from a direct throw by Curtly Ambrose at mid on. The West Indians were all out 33 minutes after lunch with Sri Lankan spinners Muttiah Muralidaran and Don Anurasiri taking the last four wickets. Muralidaran grabbed three wickets in ten balls to finish with figures of 4 for 47. He was supported by left-arm legspinner Don Anurasiri, who took three for 77 from 35 overs. The West Indies took a slender 14 run first innings lead over Sri Lanka, who were dismissed for 190. Contributed by vasa (Vasanthan.Dasan@*Sun.COM) ====> Day 4, 12 Dec 93 WASHED OUT, No play possible. ====> Day 5, 13 Dec 93 SRI LANKA TEST DOWN THE DRAIN Poor drainage at the Moratuwa stadium forced the umpires to abandon play in the inaugural Test match between Sri Lanka and West Indies. Despite bright sunshine over the last two days excess water on the outfield prevented any play and the match has been declared a draw. It was a sad end to a game delicately poised with the hosts 29 runs ahead with eight second wickets standing. Contributed by goo-chie (jdw5@*.ukc.ac.uk) ====> Day 5 MORE Man-made farce forces test to be abandoned Not a ball was bowled for the second day in a row at Moratuwa as the historic one-off test between the West Indies and Sri Lanka was abandoned on the fifth day, a victim of bad organisation as much as bad weather. As a result of poor ground conditions, al- most three days of play were lost. The match that was supposed to create history will now be remem- bered for creating a cricketing farce thanks to authorities who insisted on playing a test match at a sub-standard ground when three other test venues were available in Colombo. "Probably this ground takes a little more time to recover than the other grounds," said secretary of the SriLanka Cricket Board, Neil Perera. "We never bargained for rain at this time of the year." But the rain, when it did fall, never interrupted play on any day. It always rained after playing hours. A non-existent drainage system was the chief culprit, forcing play to be cancelled on the first and final two days. The first day's play was made up for by both captains deciding to play on the rest day. But the last two days were lost for good. Perera stoutly defended the decision to play at this ground, on the outskirts of Colombo. "We decided to play the test here and the one-dayers in Colombo, because we always get a good crowd here," said Perera. He brushed aside criticism that the best ground in Sri Lanka had not been used for the test match. "We don't have one particular ground that is better than the rest. We have three grounds in Colombo and this one, which are all good. "In retrospect, it is sad how things turned out. But I wouldn't call it a disaster." The secretary added that the decision to play the test had been taken by the executive committee of the board, and was not a political decision as claimed by most people in cricketing circles, here. "Tyronne Fernando never pushed for the match to be played here," said Perera. Fernando, the president of the board, and also government minis- ter of information and broadcasting, hails from Moratuwa, which is his electorate. The Moratuwa stadium is also named after him. Too late, local cricket officials have promised to improve the ground. "We will take steps to see that the drainage system here is upgraded," said Perera. "I'm certain it will happen now". With all the attention focussed on the ground, the cricket, sadly had to take a back seat. The match had been poised evenly at the end of the third day, Saturday, with Sri Lanka 29 runs ahead with eight second innings wickets intact. "It has been a big disappointment to us as this was an important test being the first between the two countries," said David Holford, West Indies manager. Sri Lankan counterpart Bandula Warnapura said: "It is frustrating. It is a pity we didn't play on all five days." Statisticians will remember that Aravinda de Silva scored the 50 fifty by a Sri Lankan against the West Indies in test matches. Richie Richardson and Carl Hooper also scord 50s. (Thanks : AFP) Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu)