Sri Lanka v West Indies, 1st Test, Galle, Nov 15-19, 2010

West Indies visit Sri Lanka with a depleted bowling attack (no Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor) and seemingly without Denesh Ramdin. Carlton Baugh will likely take the gloves in this series.

Joel Garner has also been appointed interim manager for the West Indies for this tour.

The West Indians play SL BP XI in Colombo (SSC) tomorrow for a 2 day tour match.

West Indies XI for the first Test:

Gayle
Barath
Nash
Chanderpaul
Dwayne Bravo
Sammy
Baugh
Roach
Benn
Pascal
Shillingford

Bit thin on the batting, but after the success of two spinners in recent times for the WI, I'd go along with this 11.

It's time for the underdogs to step up again. Hopefully WI will take some inspiration from NZ's valiant effort against India.

Can;t see the Windies winning or drawing this unless the game is affected by rain. Even when they had Lara in the team scoring a truckload of runs, they lost 3-0 in Sri Lanka.

It's going to be a long hard toil for the West Indies, I feel.

The only way for them to get any sort of result is to contain players like Sanga, Jayawardene and Dilshan, and to play with caution against Herath and Mendis.

Short bursts from the seamers (Roach, Bravo & Pascal) intertwined with long spells by Shillingford and Benn is the strategy I would pick. Those spinners will bowl a lot of overs on this tour.

Benn is suspended for the first test so Shilly will be the only spinner. I can't wait to watch Barath and Lil Bravo bat, it's going to be great fun watching them.

Look out for Andre Russell, who is an Andrew Flintoff like cricketer; Big hitter, great fielder and a wholehearted fast bowler.

Typical start for the West Indians.

All out for 176. SL CP XI 59/3 in reply.

Most of the WI bowlers going at 5 and over at this point.

http://www.cricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-west-indies-2010/engine/current/match/464986.html


Nash Potato held the West Indian middle order together with 62. He might enjoy these Sri Lankan tracks, being half Australian and all.

Erk, that doesn't augur well for the Ganjas.

Nash Potato? You are a funny Welshman.

If Trescothick and Nash ever played together, you might call them Banger and Nash.

Coat.get.it.I'll.

Hehehe, noice work, you.

The tour match is rained out.

West Indies will be in even worse shape come the first Test.

Sad times.

Lasith Malinga is left out of the Sri Lankan test squad. That's got to be a huge relief for the Windies.

Sri Lanka Test Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Thilina Kandamby, Ajantha Mendis, Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Kaushal Silva, Dammika Prasad, Dilhara Fernando, Thilan Thushara, Suranga Lakmal.

For anyone wondering where all the rangas in Test cricket have disappeared to, Sri Lanka is hiding 3 rangas in that squad

So a triple for Sanga or Mahela coming up?

skully wrote:So a triple for Sanga or Mahela coming up?

You would almost put your mortgage on one of them at least getting a century.

Good to see Barath back in test cricket.

At the halfway stage of the first day, the Windies are on track for 400 in a day.

Gayle on fire.

Good heavens, Lara's record is in jeopardy.

For the last three years, Chis Gayle has been a world class opening batsman in test cricket. He'd probably be in my world XI.

306/1.

Ah this has really brightened my day. Class stuff from Crystal and co by the sounds of it.

Make that 306/2 - Darren Bravo falls.

Chanderpaul strolls in.

Bet he hasn't been in this position for a long while. I expect he'll be bowled for a duck.

Chris Gayle's batting stance for the first two sessions of play. Come on, Chris, at least look like you're trying...

*Chris Gayle (lhb) 197

Will he? Won't he?

*Chris Gayle (lhb) 199

Athers territory.

And there it is. 200 for Gayle. Sublime. This is the best start that West Indies could have hoped for.