DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka, CMC – Shimron Hetmyer fell agonisingly short of a hundred as he led a solid West Indies A reply on the second day of the final four-day “Test” against Sri Lanka A here yesterday.
The Caribbean side closed the day on 183 for four at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, with Hetmyer top-scoring with an aggressive 94 and captain Shamarh Brooks unbeaten on 43.
Sri Lanka A had earlier converted their overnight 272 for seven into 318 all out, as left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson helped polish off the tail to finish with four for 65.
Off-spinner Rahkeen Cornwall claimed three for 93 while leg-spinner Damion Jacobs picked up two for 64.
Roshen Silva added just nine to his overnight 40 while number 10 Kasun Madushanka slammed five fours in an eight-ball 20.
West Indies A were quickly in trouble, however, when openers Rajendra Chandrika (11) and left-hander Kieran Powell (8) departed cheaply to leave the visitors stumbling on 35 for two.
Hetmyer and Brooks then came together to rescue the innings in an enterprising 104-run, third wicket stand.
The left-handed Hetmyer was dominant throughout in a better than run-a-ball innings, carving out 17 boundaries off just 93 deliveries.
Brooks, a right-hander, has faced 79 deliveries and struck five fours.
When Hetmyer fell, the in-form Vishaul Singh joined Brooks to add a further 34 for the fourth wicket before perishing 15 minutes before the close for 15, lbw to seamer Lahiru Gamage.
The three-game series is tied 1-1 after the hosts won the opener in Colombo by seven wickets and West Indies A pulled of a massive 333-run victory in the second contest in Pallekele.
