West Indies middle-order batsman, Nkrumah Bonner, says the team’s batting line-up must find a way to get stuck in against Sri Lanka, particularly the spinners if they are to find a way to be compete in the ongoing series.
The Caribbean team is currently 1-0 down after suffering a lop-sided defeat to Sri Lanka in the first Test. In the end, the regional team lost by 187 runs, but that could have been even worse were it not for a 100-run partnership between Bonner and Joshua Da Silva. The duo were the only ones to get above the half-century mark and to say the majority of other batsmen found the going difficult would be an understatement.
Sri Lanka’s spinners were aggressive throughout, with left-arm orthodox Praveen Jayawickrama (4 for 40 runs) and off-spinner Ramesh Mendis (3 for 75) doing the damage in the first innings. In the second innings, it was left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya who grabbed an impressive 5 for 46 and Mendis (4 for 64) and Jayawickrama (1 for 28) also doing more damage.
Bonner, who looked much more comfortable after making an adjustment for the second innings, after being dismissed for just 1 from 11 balls in the first, believes that coping with the spinners comes down to better footwork.
"These are small things we need work on if we want to be more sure in our defense, and when we attack,” Bonner said.
"It's difficult when players don't get a start. In the first innings, the ball was holding and spinning. It was a different challenge in the second innings when the ball was sliding at times, and spinning too. We have to come up with smart tactics in order to play all the left-arm spinners."
The West Indies and Sri Lanka will face off in the second Test, beginning on Sunday.
Stokes looking 'great' as England captain prepares for Pakistan return
Ben Stokes is expected to come back into England's side for the second Test against Pakistan, with the all-rounder returning to his peak fitness.
England captain Stokes has been out since the start of August with a hamstring injury but was seen in the nets bowling at full pace ahead of the next Test, which starts on Tuesday in Multan.
Former team-mate and bowling coach James Anderson says Stokes is firing on all cylinders as he prepares to return.
"He looks great. He has worked really hard on his fitness and looking as strong as I've ever seen him," Anderson, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, said to BBC Sport on Sunday.
"He's had a good bowl in the nets and looks good to go."
Anderson acknowledged that managing Stokes' workload could work favourably for England, who will expect spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashar, as well as part-time option Joe Root, to do most of the bowling.
"When we're talking about Ben's workloads and his bowling, it might play into our hands with that, with the spinners potentially playing more of a part," Anderson added.
England did not miss Stokes in the first Test, battling to victory by an innings and 47 runs despite conceding 556 to Pakistan in the first innings last week.
Joe Root's stunning 262, coupled with Harry Brook's remarkable 317, led the fightback before left-armer Leach took 4-30 from just 6.5 overs in Pakistan's final-innings collapse.
Questions remain whether the same pitch will be employed in Multan, where cracks were already showing, instead of a new surface.
"Going off the last game, we did see it go up and down, mainly down, towards the back end," Anderson continued.
"The cracks started opening up. I'm no groundsman, but I don't think you can make cracks go back together that easily, certainly in three days.
"You'd expect it to do something off the cracks and with it being dry and hot again, you'd expect the spinners to play more of a part.
"We don't know what we’re going to get. It could be another pitch, or they have repaired this one really well and it's flat again."
Lewis and King star in West Indies' T20I opener against Sri Lanka
Brandon King and Evin Lewis starred at the top of the order to help the West Indies to a five-wicket victory in the first match of their T20I series with Sri Lanka.
Despite strong showings from Kamindu Mendis (51) and Charith Asalanka (59), the West Indies' opening duo did the damage as King's 63 and Lewis' half-century paved the way for victory with five balls to spare.
Sri Lanka started poorly with the bat, losing Pathum Nissanka (11), Kusal Perera (six) and Kusal Mendis (19) inside the first eight overs of the encounter.
Mendis and Asalanka helped steady the ship, with their knocks helping the hosts to 179-7 from their 20 overs, aided by the brisk cameo from Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who struck 17 runs from 11 deliveries.
The tourists wasted no time in chasing their target, with King and Lewis doing the early damage with their incredible 107-run partnership before the duo fell to Mendis (1-14) and Matheesha Pathirana (2-27).
Despite losing three wickets in quick succession, the pressure never mounted on the Windies, with handy contributions from Rovman Powell (13) and Roston Chase (19) helping them on their way ahead of the second match on Tuesday.
Data Debrief: Lewis makes special return
After a 723-day hiatus from the West Indies side, Lewis made his much-anticipated return to international cricket with a sensational half-century.
His knock included five fours and four sixes, ending the contest with a strike rate of 176.8, a total only bettered by his partner, King (190.9).
Brandon King and Evin Lewis lead West Indies to comfortable five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in first T20I
Brandon King and Evin Lewis powered the West Indies to a commanding five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the opening match of their three-match T20 International series in Dambulla on Sunday. The duo's explosive partnership at the top of the order laid the foundation for the West Indies to chase down Sri Lanka’s total of 179 with five balls to spare.
Chasing 180 for victory, King and Lewis put on a blistering 107-run opening stand off just 55 balls, propelling the West Indies to 74 runs in the powerplay and setting the tone for the remainder of the chase. King, who was named Player of the Match and Match MVP, top-scored with a stylish 63, while Lewis smashed a quickfire 50. Their partnership effectively nullified the efforts of Sri Lanka's middle-order batters Kamindu Mendis (51) and Charith Asalanka (59), who had earlier helped the hosts to a competitive total.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers briefly slowed the West Indies' momentum in the middle overs, with Matheesha Pathirana taking 2 for 27. However, the West Indies remained in control throughout, and despite the loss of a few wickets, they had enough firepower in their batting lineup to seal the win. Sherfane Rutherford finished the game in style, hitting a boundary off the first ball of the final over to bring the West Indies home at 180 for 5.
Earlier, Sri Lanka had posted 179 for 7, thanks to the 82-run partnership between Asalanka and Mendis. The West Indies bowlers did well to keep Sri Lanka in check, with Romario Shepherd picking up 2 for 39 and Shamar Joseph being the most economical, conceding just 27 runs from his four overs.
West Indies will take confidence from this victory as they head into the second match of the series, with Brandon King and Evin Lewis’ dominant opening partnership proving to be the key in their comfortable win.
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