Skipper Dhananjaya De Silva struck his 11th first class hundred but West Indies A still manage to restrict Sri Lanka A on the penultimate day of the first four-day “Test” at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium in Jamaica.
The 26-year-old, who boasts two Test hundreds in 10 matches, struck 104 as the visitors reached 210 for seven in their first innings before rain and then bad light ended play prematurely.
Wanindu Hasaranga chipped in with 24 and Dasun Shanaka, 20 but Sri Lanka A failed to come to grips with the Windies A probing attack.
Fast bowlers Keon Joseph (2-28) and Sheldon Cottrell (2-41), along with leg-spinner Damion Jacobs (2-33) all finished with two wickets each.
After the Windies A declared at their overnight 364 for eight, they quickly made inroads into the Sri Lankan innings, reducing it to 33 for two as Ron Chandragupta (11) and Sandun Weerakkody (0) perished cheaply.
However, de Silva came to his side’s rescue, anchoring three successive partnerships to put the innings back on course.
First, he put on 40 for the third wicket with Charith Asalanka (10), a further 35 for the fourth wicket with Shanaka before adding an invaluable 63 for the fifth wicket with Hasaranga. Th righthanded de Silva struck 10 fours and three sixes, in an innings lasting 143 balls and nearly four hours.
Scores
WEST INDIES A 364 for eight (Sunil Ambris 106, Vishaul Singh 81, John Campbell 56, Rahkeem Cornwall 36; Malinda Pushpakumara 3-104, Chamika Karunaratne 2-61)
SRI LANKA A 201 for seven (Dhananjaya De Silva 104, Wanindu Hasaranga 24, Dasun Shanaka 20; Keon Joseph 2-28, Damion Jacobs 2-33, Sheldon Cottrell 2-41)
