Thewmika picks up six wickets as Youth Test ends in draw

Thurstan spinner Vihas Thewmika picked up six wickets to contain West Indies Under 19s to 309 runs as Sri Lanka Under 19s took first innings honours in the first Youth Test which ended in a draw at Dambulla on Friday.

Jordan Johnson who was not out on 54 runs overnight hogged the limelight top scoring with 149 runs for the visitors. His partnership with Steve Wedderburn was worth 110 runs. Johnson also put on another valuable stand of 96 runs with Nathan Edwards who made 36.

Johnson’s knock of 149 runs came in 207 deliveries and it included 11 fours and two sixes. His knock was the equivalent to that of Dinura Kalupahana’s unbeaten 150 for the hosts.

Thewmika and Vishwa Lahiru who bowled the bulk of overs shared nine wickets between them for the hosts. The other wicket was taken by Malsha Tharupathi.In their second essay, Sri Lanka Under 19s were 122 for four wickets in 25 overs when the match ended. Ravishan Nethsara top scored with 50.

With rain and wet grounds interrupting play on the first three days a draw was the possible outcome. The second Youth Test between the two teams will commence on September 12.

Scores:

Sri Lanka U19s 432 for 8 decl. and 122 for 4 in 25 overs (Ravishan Nethsara 50, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 26n.o.; Dinura Kalupahana 22n.o.)

West Indies U19s for 3 overnight 309 all out in 89.5 overs (Jordan Johnson 149, Steve Wedderburn 41, Nathan Edwards 36; Vishwa Lahiru 3/62, Vihas Thewmika 6/78)