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Warnapura defies Indian bowlers in soggy Colombo

India’s Ishant Sharma bowls on the first day of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Sri Lankan opening batsman Malinda Warnapura defied India’s attack with an unbeaten half-century on the opening day of the rain-hit first Test yesterday.

The hosts lost two wickets cheaply after electing to bat in overcast conditions, but left-handed Warnapura (50 not out) helped his team reach 85-2 at stumps.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene was the other not-out batsman on 16 when play was called off due to bad light with 20 overs remaining. No play was possible before tea because of the rain.

Indian fast bowlers Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan shared the wickets.

Sri Lanka made a shaky start, losing Michael Vandort in the fourth over. The batsman was caught behind while chasing a Sharma delivery, with Dinesh Karthik taking a high catch to his left.

Warnapura added 50 runs for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara before Zaheer had Sangakkara (12) caught by Rahul Dravid, who held a low catch at first slip.

Warnapura executed handsome shots on both sides of the wicket during his third Test half-century in five matches.

India captain Anil Kumble also pressed Sourav Ganguly and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh into the attack in a bid to get one more wicket, but Warnapura and Jayawardene batted sensibly.

Both teams went into the game with two spinners including unorthodox Sri Lanka debutant Ajanta Mendis who destroyed India with a haul of six wickets in the final of the Asia Cup one-day competition earlier this month.

Meanwhile, an experimental rule allowing players to seek a second opinion on umpiring decisions will not undermine the on-field officials’ authority, a top cricket official said yesterday.

The rule, on trial in the current three-Test series between India and Sri Lanka, allows a batsman or fielding captain to request a review of any decision by referring it to the third official monitoring television replays.

“The umpire’s word is still final,” said Dave Richardson, general manager of the International Cricket Council.

“The way I look at it is that it is an extension of the appeal. It doesn’t undermine their roles. Their skill as umpires is still paramount. They have to make the decision [after consulting the TV umpire],” he said.

Each team will be allowed three unsuccessful review requests per innings and if one is successful they will get an additional appeal.

So far, only the on-field umpires determine if a decision needs to be passed on to TV officials.
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