Prasad strikes again to hinder West Indies’ reply

COLOMBO (Reuters) – Fast bowler Dhammika Prasad picked up two more wickets as Sri Lanka reduced West Indies to 77 for four at lunch on the second day of the second and final test at the P Sara Oval on Friday.

Play was delayed by 30 minutes due to a wet outfield after overnight rain and Prasad made full use of the overcast conditions, bowling an impeccable line and length to extract movement off the pitch to trouble the West Indies batsmen.

After bundling out the hosts for 200 on the opening day, West Indies would have hoped for a solid start from their batsmen after resuming on 17-1 in the morning.

Nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo (13) was the first to fall, edging a wide delivery from Prasad, who had dismissed opener Shai Hope on Thursday, to wicketkeeper Kusal Perera.

West Indies’ batting mainstay Darren Bravo (two) then chopped Prasad onto his stumps to put the touring side in further trouble.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who remained unbeaten on 37 at the break, tried to rebuild the innings with a stand of 39 for the fourth wicket with Marlon Samuels (13) before the latter fell in the penultimate over before lunch.

All-rounder Milinda Siriwardana, who top-scored for his side with 68 in the first innings, got Samuels to edge to Angelo Mathews at slip off his left-arm spin bowling.

Jermaine Blackwood, on nought, was the other unbeaten batsman for West Indies at the break.

Hosts Sri Lanka won the opening test at Galle by an innings and six runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Patrick Johnston)