West Indies bowlers forced to toil hard under hot sun

West Indies bowlers enjoyed their first match practice of their Sri Lanka tour on Thursday, easing fears that they would start the Test series next week under prepared, but they were still forced to toil hard in high heat by a strong Sri Lanka A side at the palm-fringed Matara Sports Club.

Sri Lanka A, fielding four players in the squad for the Galle Test starting 13 November, batted sedately throughout the day to finish on 215 for five after a patient half-century from opener Ian Daniel and an unbeaten 74 from captain Hashan Tillakaratne.

West Indies made two changes from the washed up game in Colombo earlier in the week, bringing in 26-year-old leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine and fast bowler Colin Stuart. Barring injury, it will also be their Test side.

They would not be unduly disappointed to have been forced to work so hard by the Sri Lankans. All the bowlers had so far been consigned to the nets, where they have to operate off shortened run-ups. With the weather uncertain, there were serious fears that they would lack match fitness next week.

"The guys have been shocked into the reality of the higher heat and humidity in Sri Lanka," said manager Ricky Skerrit after the day. "It's been a tough day for the boys. You can do all the nets you want, but its not the same as match practice. It is going to take time to adjust, but today has helped."

Indeed, Reon King and Mervyn Dillion looked particularly rusty when they started off with the new ball. Dillon's approach to the wicket was gingerly in the extreme, whilst King looked like he was bowling with a heavy green coconut. Gradually, however, their limbs loosened and when the second new ball was taken, it could be clearly heard smacking into Ridley Jacobs gloves.

Colin Stuart, 28, was the pick of the pacemen in the morning, before he left the field with leg cramps in the afternoon. With his slightly strained, rocking run he was bang on target, sharp through the air and occasionally beat the bat off the seam. He took two wickets, including that of Daniel, whose patient innings had dominated the first half of the day.

Daniel had burst onto the Sri Lankan cricket scene in the Under 19 World Cup in 1999, when he was the highest run scorer and was earmarked as a future Test player. Since then, he has struggled after personal tragedy and an apparent loss of confidence. This season, though, he is back on track and looking good.

He is an organised and efficient player, who is prepared to wait patiently for a bad ball. He was hit on the helmet early on by a short ball by King, but retained his composure and thereafter coped well with the extra pace of the West Indies pace trio. He went to score 62 from 112 balls, before Stuart deceived him with a full-length delivery and trapped him lbw.

Stuart also accounted for the first wicket of the day, Pradeep Hewage for 10, when he replaced King and had the opener caught off his top edge with a skidding short delivery.

Number three batsman Dammika Sudharshana gave Daniel dogged support, taking 63 deliveries to score 15, before leg-spinner Ramnarine deceived him with a nippy googly that turned sharply, to leave Sri Lanka A 69 for two after 36 overs.

The home side had scored just 29 more when left-handed Michael Vandort - retained in next weeks Test squad, but unlikely to play - was cracked on the wrists by Dillon and forced to retire hurt.

West Indian captain, Carl Hooper, then gave himself and Ramnarine an extended bowl in tandem, in which he picked up the wickets of Tillakaratne Dilshan, caught behind as he tried to cut, and Vandort, upon his return, trapped lbw with an arm ball.

The Sri Lankan innings, though, was held together by Tillakaratne, who was not originally due to play, but was drafted in after the wash out in Colombo earlier in the week. The management were concerned over his lack of match practice, but he looked fluent, scoring a businesslike and unbeaten 74.

After the fall the fifth wicket, with the score on 167-5, he was well supported by unusually watchful Suresh Perera, who has been buoyed by the news that his action has now been cleared. Perera was 18 not out at the close having added 48 runs for the sixth wicket Tillakaratne.