Hope smashes another half century as warm-up match ends in draw

The in-form Shai Hope continued to pile on the runs as he topscored for the West Indies President’s XI when the two-day match against Sri Lanka ended in a draw yesterday at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Hope, who was the leading run scorer in he One-Day International matches with 258 runs – which included two half centuries and one century – struck 68 runs off 89 balls in the two-day match.

He continues to make a strong case for his inclusion in the Test team, since his return to the side this year after opting out of the Bangladesh tour.

Sri Lanka batted first and were bowled out for 172 runs, with another player who had been left out of the first Test match squad leading the way for the home side. This time it was Roston Chase with the ball as he not only captained the President’s XI, but picked up four wickets in just seven overs with his offspin bowling.

Getting back into the swing of the action was Kemar Roach with two wickets; while Anderson Phillips who came into the ODI team for the last match picked up three wickets.

Leading with the bat for Sri Lanka was Oshada Fernando with 47 runs, while Dinesh Chandimal scored 40 as these two shared in the highest partnership for their side of 53 runs.

For the President’s XI, Hope and Darren Bravo shared in a 102-run second wicket partnership after Shayne Moseley was dismissed with the score on nine.

The West Indies ended the first day on 103/1 with Hope and Bravo undefeated and 69 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first Innings total.

On the second day Bravo was dismissed for 30 runs, while Hope went soon afterwards without adding to the score.

This time Shamarh Brooks and Kyle Mayers developed a partnership which amassed 76 runs for the fourth wicket.  Brooks scored 19 while Mayers scored 57 runs.

Along with Hope, Chase also made a strong case for an inclusion in the Test squad as he returned with the bat to score 52 runs and help his team to post a total of 294 runs all out.

This makes the first Test critical if players wish to be selected for the second Test, as players have shown they are ready to step up should someone not make the mark.

Mayers, who was the third player to score a half century for the President’s XI, is already included in the squad and has put his hand up for a place in the starting eleven.

For Sri Lanka, the bowling was led by Dananjaya De Silva with 3/26 and he was well supported by Lasith Embuldeniya with 3/69.

The match ended in a draw just before 5 p.m. with Lahiru Thirimanna and Dimuth Karunarathne unbeaten on 23 and 27 respectively, and no wickets falling in their second innings.

The first Test match is slated for March 21 to  25 and the second one is scheduled for March 29 to April 2, each beginning at 10 a.m.

(CG)