da betano casino： Sri Lanka A’s batsmen strengthened their side’s grip on the final unofficialTest at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium and at the end of the thirdday Kenya looked unlikely to avert a series whitewash despite a solid startto their second
CricInfo16-Feb-2002Sri Lanka A’s batsmen strengthened their side’s grip on the final unofficialTest at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium and at the end of the thirdday Kenya looked unlikely to avert a series whitewash despite a solid startto their second innings.Throughout the first two days Kenya displayed greater fight than they haddone in the first two Tests, but to save the final Test on a wearing fourthday pitch they will need to produce their most resolute performance of thetour.Kenya’s openers, Kennedy Otieno (31) and Ravindu Shah (27), started theirsecond innings well, holding Sri Lanka A’s spinners at bay and survivingunscathed the 19 overs till the close of play. They re-start on Sundaymorning on 61 without loss.They predicament could have been worse if Sri Lanka A had not erred on theside of caution with their declaration, waiting for a full hour after teabefore calling it a day.By which time the hosts had amassed 361 for eight after a sturdy middleorder performance from Upul Chandana (73), Prassana Jayawardene (75 not out)and Muthudalige Pushpakumara (45), which provided Kenya with an unassailable404 run target.Sri Lanka A posted such an imposing target despite the quick loss of theirtwo remaining specialist batsmen in the morning.Tillakaratne Dilshan (8) feathered to the wicket-keeper off medium pacerJoseph Angara in the second over and Chamara Silva (17) followed him back tothe dressing room soon after as misjudged a quick single (142 for five).The double strike prompted a soporific passage of play, as Sri Lanka Aconsolidated and Kenya’s bowlers, buoyed by their morning success, bowledwith surprising discipline.But Chandana, stooped over his bat like a young Azharuddin, slowly raisedthe tempo, pushing the Kenyan fielders hard with his whippet-like runningbetween the wickets and occasionally skipping down the wicket to loft adrive.Jayawardene hung on adhesively at the other end, working the ballefficiently into the gaps, as he tried to persuade the national selectorsthat he is not only the most gifted gloveman in the country, but also auseful lower batsman.His unbeaten 75 will have no doubt helped his cause for a berth on Sri Lanka’s three-Test tour of England. His stance is awkward and strokeplaymechanical, but he concentrated hard and placed a high premium on hiswicket – highly valued attributes for this Sri Lankan side.Soon, Chandana and Jayawardene had taken the game well out of the reach ofthe Kenyans. The pair added 92 before Chandana tried to launch his secondstraight six of the day.But Pushpakamura, a 20-year-old all-rounder with great promise, carried onwhere Chandana had left off and the scoreboard ticked along in the hourbefore tea.With Jayawardene reaching his fifty just before the break, a teatimedeclaration was anticipated, but Sri Lanka choose to carry on despite havingalready established a 343 run lead.After tea, Pushpakumara perished whilst driving through the covers andPulasthi Gunaratne was soon trapped lbw by Angara, before Rangana Herathproduced an entertaining cameo, hitting 26 from just balls.