COLOMBO, CMC:
WEST INDIES, led by captain Carl Hooper's dashing century, put behind them all security fears and other concerns to launch their tour of Sri Lanka in enterprising fashion yesterday.
Hooper was simply breathtaking in an innings of 117 as four of the top six batsmen scored meaningful runs to help West Indies reach 334 for seven at stumps against Sri Lanka A on the opening day of their opening tour match.
The West Indies captain led his side's recovery after they had been sent in to bat on a hard, true Nondescripts Cricket Club pitch and crashed to 53 for three inside the first 45 minutes.
Hooper gave a spectacular display of his batting in nearly four hours in which time he hammered seven fours and four sixes from 145 balls. He looked untroubled by the fast bowlers and intimidated the spin bowlers with deft footwork and attractive strokeplay.
When he was caught behind to become the last of four wickets for 85 runs from 17 overs for fast bowler Ravindra Pushpakumara, West Indies were 279 for six and he had completed important stands of 129 for the fourth wicket with Brian Lara and 97 for the fifth wicket with Marlon Samuels.
Earlier, opening batsman Daren Ganga was caught at gully off the last ball of the first over of the match bowled by Pushpakumara before Chris Gayle gave the innings a rousing start when he hit six fours and one six in 41 from 26 balls.
When Gayle was bowled by Pushpakumara with the last ball of the fifth over, West Indies were 50 for two and Sri Lanka A captain Hashan Tillakaratne might have felt his decision justified, especially when Ramnaresh Sarwan was caught at short leg off Gayan Wijekoon 13 balls later.
The sight of two batsmen the calibre of Hooper and Lara at the wicket is always a treat for cricket lovers. Neither disappointed in a vital fourth-wicket stand that transformed the complexion of the innings.
Lara was not at his fluent best, but buckled down to spend just over three hours at the crease for 43 off 103 balls that contained six fours before he edged Pushpakumara to second slip.
West Indies were still not completely out of trouble, but Hooper and Samuels erased any doubts and gave further substance to the innings with a volley of strokes in an essential partnership.
Samuels looked in prime form throughout his 54 off 100 balls that lasted nearly two hours and contained 10 fours before he was adjudged lbw to legspin bowler Upul Chandana. Hooper followed two balls later, but the fun had just begun for West Indies.
