Batting collapse leaves Windies A staring at defeat

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CMC):

Rahkeem Cornwall secured career-best figures, but West Indies A were slumping towards a heavy defeat after suffering another dramatic batting collapse in the opening four-day Test against Sri Lanka A here yesterday.

Trailing by 110 runs on first innings, the Caribbean side ended day three of the game at the Khettarama Stadium on 165 for nine - only 55 runs in front-heading into today's final day.

Left-hander Vishaul Singh top-scored again with 46, tail-ender Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai chipped in with 34, while captain Shamarh Brooks got 28, but West Indies A struggled to put meaningful partnerships together.

They were undermined by left-arm spinner Lakshan Sandakan, who claimed three for 47 while seamers Asitha Fernando (2-16) and Asela Gunaratne (2-30), along with off-spinner Charith Asalanka (2-27), all supported with two wickets each.

West Indies A never really recovered from losing left-hander Kieran Powell for a first-ball 'duck' to the sixth ball of the innings, bowled by Fernando, and they quickly tumbled to 31 for three as opener Rajendra Chandrika (5) and John Campbell (22) also fell cheaply.

For the second time in the game, Vishaul and Brooks came together to repair the innings, this time putting on a crucial 44 for the fourth wicket.

Vishaul faced 111 deliveries and struck five fours while Brooks failed to find the boundary in his 95-ball innings.

When Brooks was caught at the wicket off Gunaratne, wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton (8) joined Vishaul to post a further 28 for the fifth wicket before things fell apart.

FOUR QUICK WICKETS

Hamilton's dismissal - caught and bowled by Asalanka - triggered another slide as West Indies A lost four quick wickets for 29 runs to collapse to 132 for eight.

Only a 33-run, ninth-wicket stand between Motie-Kanhai and Keon Joseph (9 not out) saved the tourists from being bowled out late in the day.

Motie-Kanhai faced 69 deliveries and counted four fours before becoming Sandakan's third wicket of a fine spell.

Earlier, Cornwall added two more wickets to his six on Wednesday to finish with eight for 108 as Sri Lanka A, resuming on 348 for eight, were dismissed for 386.

Gunaratne, unbeaten on 15 overnight, made 38.