Warnapura fires again in drawn tour match

Sri Lankans 492 for 5 dec and 177 for 6 (Warnapura 50, Bishoo 3-25) drew with Guyana President's XI 248
Scorecard

Malinda Warnapura enhanced his chances of opening in the first Test by adding a second-innings half-century to his first-innings 132 in Sri Lanka's tour match in Guyana. Sri Lanka reached 177 for 6, with an overall lead of 421 over the Guyana President's XI (GPS), when the captains agreed to end the match at tea on the third day.

Warnapura retired out for the second time in the game and his success means he has a strong chance of partnering Michael Vandort at the top of the Test order. His 93-ball innings featured seven fours but none of the other specialist batsmen made full use of the second innings.

Prasanna Jayawardene chipped in with 36 and Chaminda Vaas finished unbeaten on 40 as the legspinner Davendra Bishoo picked up three middle-order wickets. Bishoo, 22, has only one first-class match to his name, but he proved his worth with 3 for 25, including Mahela Jayawardene caught without scoring.

Bishoo was the only bowler to have success in the second session after the fast bowler Jason Dawes grabbed two victims before lunch. Vandort did not have the ideal lead-up to the Test, bowled by Dawes for 1 to add to his first-innings 29.

Dawes, who was a member of West Indies' Under-19 World Cup side last month, had struggled with a leg strain in the first innings and bowled only 13 balls. However, he powered through 15 overs on the third day to finish with 2 for 36 after having Kumar Sangakkara (17) caught at sip.

GPS were without their captain Patrick Browne, who was resting a sore knee, and Kemar Roach, who had an upset stomach. Rajindra Chandrika and Sharmarh Brooks shared the duties behind the stumps in Browne's absence and Brooks even registered a stumping when Prasanna Jayawardene was caught short off Bishoo.

The first Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies starts at Guyana's Providence Stadium on Saturday. A further tour match against West Indies A follows, ahead of the second Test in Trinidad.