India strike as rain hits

Tourists claim two wickets on opening day of Test

Last updated: 23rd July 2008

malinda warnapura

Warnapura: Half century

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First Test Match
Colombo
Sri Lanka 85-2 (B S M Warnapura 50 no) v India

Malinda Warnapura struck an unbeaten half-century as Sri Lanka reached 85-2 after a rain-hit opening day of the first Test against India in Colombo.

The hosts lost Michael Vandort (3) and Kumar Sangakkara (12) in the 22 overs that were possible after rain held up the start of play until after tea.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene opted to bat first but soon lost Vandort with the score on seven, the opener playing at a rising ball from Ishant Sharma (1-21) and getting a fine edge to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik.

Warnapura and Sangakkara then added 50 for the second wicket before veteran left-armer Zaheer Khan (1-42) struck again for the tourists, inducing an edge out of the left-handed Sangakkara with Rahul Dravid taking the catch at slip.

But Warnapura (50 not out) moved to his third half-century in Tests off just 74 balls and kept company with Jayawardene (16no) when stumps were drawn early due to bad light.

The match marks the start of the ICC's experiment with a referral system, where batsmen and the fielding side have the opportunity to challenge an umpire's decision via television replays.

However, there were no referrals on a truncated first day's play.

Sri Lanka handed a Test debut to unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis, who bowls a mixture of off-breaks, leg-breaks, googlies and top-spinners.

Mendis destroyed India with a haul of 6-13 in the final of the Asia Cup one-day tournament earlier this month.