ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Shai Hope hit an aggressive half-century to follow Roston Chase’s four-wicket haul as India’s Cricket India XI dominated Sri Lanka on the opening day of their two-day match here yesterday.
Responding to all 172 tourists out at Coolidge Cricket Ground, the President’s XI finally reached 103 for one with Hope unbeaten on 60 full strokes off just 72 deliveries.
Competing for a place in the Test side after being dropped for the tour of New Zealand last December, Hope oozed a class to continue his heavy scoring from last week’s ODI series, counting 10 fours and two six.
Left-back Darren Bravo, with the start of the first Test in mind on Sunday, ended a 30-out compact out of 69 deliveries, and has so far put on 94 for the second wicket with Hope.
Earlier Chase had picked up four for 12 as Sri Lanka fell 137 for five to lose their last five wickets for 35 runs in quick time.
Oshada Fernando scored at the top with 47, veteran Dinesh Chandimal struck 40 while Pathum Nissanka, on his first ever international tour, made 23.
Sri Lanka was never allowed to settle, as rookie fast bowler Anderson Phillip grabbed three for 47 and veteran sailor Kemar Roach, two for 41, to hurt the pubs early.
Roach maneuvered both openers in consecutive bouts, getting Lahiru Thirimanne, left, to play around full-length distribution and win a lbw decision in the third of the day over before captain Dimuth Karunaratne (2) was caught on the first slip by Kyle Mayers after Chase second paired the initial offer slip.
Fernando then added 30 for the third wicket with Dhananjaya de Silva who made 17 of 23 deliveries before pulling a short ball from Phillip to Roach by his square leg, and when Roshen Silva fired a lifter from the same bowler and was intercepted by the wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton diving to his right, Sri Lanka fell at 51 for four.
Fernando and Chandimal combined in a 53 run fifth wicket stand, to stitch the pubs and allow Sri Lanka to reach lunch at 74 for four.
The Fernando on the right faced 90 balls in shadow over two hours in the crease hitting seven fours while Chandimal hit a half-dozen four off 76 balls in just under 1-¾ hour.
When Phillip broke the stand by taking Fernando into wickets, Chandimal found a partner in Nissanka to add another 33.
Chandimal’s dismissal, however, when turning out into the middle of a deep wicket off Chase, triggered the slide that saw a quick end to the pubs.
President XI suffered an early loss to Shayne Moseley for six, the left wing biting one by fast bowler Suranga Lakmal and falling into wicket-hold.
Hope then took the helm, producing a variety of flowing drives and leg slide laces before reaching his half-century off 60 balls with the second of his two sixes – a long overdue strike on left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya.
He celebrated the next ball by fashionably punching a cover and pointing off the back foot for his 10th fours and Bravo joined a couple of his six boundaries before the shutdown, as the President’s XI came up strong.