Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall’s third straight five-wicket haul was not enough as Sri Lanka A batsmen put them in command of the opening four-day “Test” against West Indies here yesterday.

The hosts ended the second day on 348 for eight in their first innings – a lead of 72 runs – thanks to Dimuth Karunaratne’s superb 131 at the Khettarama Stadium,

He was joined by fellow Test teammate Kusal Perera who stroked 87 while Niroshan Dickwella hammered 59, as Sri Lanka A kept the Caribbean side in the field all day.

Cornwall proved the bright spot for West Indies A, claiming six for 87 – his fourth five-wicket haul in seven first class matches.

Resuming the day without a run of the board having faced just one over the previous evening, Sri Lanka A were propelled by Karunaratne and Perera who put on 167 for the first wicket.

The left-handed Karunaratne, who featured in the recent Test series against Australia, faced 242 deliveries and struck 15 fours while Perera counted seven fours and three sixes in an attacking 105-ball innings.

Cornwall eventually got the breakthrough when he bowled Perera and the the burly 23-year-old then ripped through the top order as Sri Lanka lost four wickets for 65 runs to decline to 232 for four.

However, West Indies A’s hopes of making further inroads were then dashed as Karunaratne and Dickwella added 85 for the fifth wicket to repair the damage.

The left-handed Dickwella, who played the last of this four Tests two years ago, produced a breezy innings striking ten fours in 70 balls at the crease.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai ended Karunaratne’s innings when he bowled him and Cornwall picked up the last three wickets of the day to fall, as Sri Lanka A once again lost wickets in a cluster, with four tumbling for 20 runs.

(SN)