And we start the season with one of my easiest and most straightforward test victories!
![](http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/417/sltest1.jpg)
Powell and Gayle started well, and whilst Gayle fell for 33, Powell continued. He eventually fell for 72 after sharing a 109 partnership with Chanderpaul, including 8 boundary fours. Edwards and Darren were out for 9 a piece, and Dwayne got a start but did not go on. Ramdin fell early, but Russell managed to put on 77 with Chanders for the 7th wicket. He then went on and managed 30+ partnerships with both Rampaul and Bishoo, taking our innings well over 400.
Their first innings was built around two good-sized partnerships, with two collapses in between. These both included young opener Maneshan, who was unlucky not to get his second test match century. The first collapse took them from 72/0 to 105/4, and the second took them from 186/4 to 216 all out, instigated totally by Bishoo and Narine, and allowing us to enforce the follow on.
Maneshan did manage his second century this time round, and the first two partnerships were good this time round, with Sri Lanka at one stage being 173/1. This time around, it was Narine and Rampaul who were the primary destroyers, with Sangakkara ending up with only 3 runs in the test match.
We only needed 71 to win, and despite the 2 wickets, we never had real problems.
Series State - West Indies lead 1-0 with one to play.
Batting Award - Shiv Chanderpaul - 191 runs for 1 wicket. So glad he didn't retire.
Bowling Award - Devendra Bishoo - 9 wickets in the match, and it's very hard to argue with that.
Team News - On a pitch looking like turn will be less important, and with a draw being enough to secure a series victory, Nash comes in for the impressive Narine.
![](http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/417/sltest1.jpg)
Powell and Gayle started well, and whilst Gayle fell for 33, Powell continued. He eventually fell for 72 after sharing a 109 partnership with Chanderpaul, including 8 boundary fours. Edwards and Darren were out for 9 a piece, and Dwayne got a start but did not go on. Ramdin fell early, but Russell managed to put on 77 with Chanders for the 7th wicket. He then went on and managed 30+ partnerships with both Rampaul and Bishoo, taking our innings well over 400.
Their first innings was built around two good-sized partnerships, with two collapses in between. These both included young opener Maneshan, who was unlucky not to get his second test match century. The first collapse took them from 72/0 to 105/4, and the second took them from 186/4 to 216 all out, instigated totally by Bishoo and Narine, and allowing us to enforce the follow on.
Maneshan did manage his second century this time round, and the first two partnerships were good this time round, with Sri Lanka at one stage being 173/1. This time around, it was Narine and Rampaul who were the primary destroyers, with Sangakkara ending up with only 3 runs in the test match.
We only needed 71 to win, and despite the 2 wickets, we never had real problems.
Series State - West Indies lead 1-0 with one to play.
Batting Award - Shiv Chanderpaul - 191 runs for 1 wicket. So glad he didn't retire.
Bowling Award - Devendra Bishoo - 9 wickets in the match, and it's very hard to argue with that.
Team News - On a pitch looking like turn will be less important, and with a draw being enough to secure a series victory, Nash comes in for the impressive Narine.
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