Sri Lanka to bat in rain-delayed 2nd Test against Windies
West Indies need to win this contest to avoid slipping down to eighth.
GALLE (AFP) - Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat after a long rain delay washed out the first two sessions of the second Test against West Indies on Monday.
Match officials in Galle decided to get the proceedings underway after tea with play extended until 6pm, light permitting, to catch up for lost time. A total of 45 overs are scheduled.
Sri Lanka made one change to the side that won the first Test by 187 runs, leaving out fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera and beefing up their batting with Charith Asalanka in the former Under-19 captain’s Test debut.
West Indies brought in fast bowler Kemar Roach and spinner Veerasammy Permaul, replacing Shannon Gabriel and Rahkeem Cornwall.
Permaul is playing his first Test in six years and will complement fellow left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.
Roach, the eighth highest wicket taker for West Indies in Test match cricket, was a surprise omission in the first Test.
"It’s a pretty good wicket earlier on and once we get to the fourth or fifth day it will turn and we want to put West Indies under pressure," Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne said.
"It is easy to manage when you have lots of spin options so having one seamer is not a major issue," he added.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said the tourists were also hoping to bank on its three spinners.
The tourists struggled to cope with spin in the first Test.
"It’s mental really. We had some good practice sessions and we need to believe that we can do the job for the team," Brathwaite added.
Teams
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Roston Chase, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva, Jomel Warrican, Kemar Roach, Veerasammy Permaul.
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suranga Lakmal.
