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November 19, 2010

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Sri Lanka claws back to 89-0 after follow on

OPENERS Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana helped Sri Lanka fight back to 89-0 after being forced to follow on by West Indies on the fourth day of the first test yesterday in Galle.

Sri Lanka was out for 378, failing to avoid the follow on by only three runs, and stayed positive to trail West Indies by 113 when rain stopped play with 22 overs remaining.

More than 80 overs have been lost to rain in the test which was likely to end in a draw.

Dilshan and Paranavitana were each 44 not out at stumps, hitting four boundaries each.

West Indies coach Otis Gibson expects his team to start the last day with a winning mindset.

"Anything is possible, we are still 100-odd ahead at the moment," Gibson said.

"We know its tough ... if we get a couple of wickets early who knows what will happen? The guys have to believe that they can still get some positives out of this game."

In the second session, West Indies spinner Shane Shillingford and paceman Kemar Roach shared seven wickets to bowl out Sri Lanka for 378 in its first innings in reply to 580-9 by the visitors.

Gibson praised the way Shillingford bowled against the Sri Lanka middle order on home ground.

"Shane Shillingford is an exceptional spin bowler. He's been our best test bowler over the last 12 months," Gibson said.

Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene, who scored a half-century, said his team could save the match because the openers are batting well.

Resuming its first innings on 165-3, Sri Lanka's situation looked bleak at lunch on 264-6 with all of its specialist batsmen having been dismissed and needing 117 more runs to avoid the follow on.

Overnight batsman and vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene was caught behind off Roach for 52 in the first dismissal of the day.

Thilan Samaraweera was unluckily run out for 52. He hit six boundaries for his 24th test half-century.



 

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