West Indies A toured Sri Lanka for a
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
tournament between 23 June and 19 July 2005. They played three unofficial four-day "Tests" and five unofficial "ODIs". The plans for the tour were only confirmed in mid-June as a result of a dispute over sponsorship between the West Indies Cricket Association and its players. The row continued between the Association and the senior West Indian players, though, which led to the Association asking all West Indies A players whether they would make themselves available for the Test tour immediately following the A tour. On 28 June it was announced that they had unanimously declined the request. However, that unanimous agreement vanished in the coming days, and several players were called up from the A squad to the main squad – resulting in the A squad needing more players. Twenty players eventually turned out for the West Indies A squad. Both the first-class and one-day series were alive until the very last match, though. West Indies A took a 57-run victory in the first "Test" match, taking the last five wickets of that game for three runs, but crashed to a humbling innings defeat in the second. Sri Lanka A won the series 2–1 thanks to a four-wicket win in the last match. In the one-dayers, West Indies could have forced a drawn series if they had managed to win the last game, but Sri Lanka's bowling undid them and they lost the series 3–1.
Sri Lanka A v West Indies A – First unofficial "Test" (23–26 June)
''West Indies A beat Sri Lanka A by 57 runs''
Xavier Marshall
Xavier Melbourne Marshall (born 27 March 1986) is a Jamaican-American cricketer. He played for the West Indies as a batsman. Since January 2019, he has represented the United States cricket team.
International career
Marshall represented the We ...
with 82 and
Daren Ganga
Daren Ganga (born 14 January 1979) is a former Trinidadian cricketer. He was a right-handed top order batsman and part-time right-arm offbreak bowler. After debuting as a 19-year-old he has found himself in and out of the West Indian cricket t ...
with 99 – both with ODIs for West Indies – lifted West Indies A to 228 for 2, but there was little resistance after that, and
Sajeewa Weerakoon
Sajeewa Weerakoon (born 17 February 1978), is a former Sri Lankan One Day International cricketer. He is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
Domestic career
He has played for Burgher Recreation Club and Galle Cricket Club in domestic cricket. He m ...
could take six wickets with his left-arm spin. However,
Jermaine Lawson
Jermaine Jay Charles Lawson (born 13 January 1982) is a former professional cricketer. A fast bowler from Jamaica, he played at Test and One Day International (ODI) level for the West Indies during the early 2000s, becoming the fourth West India ...
and
Tino Best
Tino la Bertram Best (born 26 August 1981) is a West Indian cricketer. Since 2002, he has played domestic cricket for his native Barbados, with a season at English club Yorkshire in 2010. Best made his Test debut in May 2003 and played his first ...
put pressure on with good and lucky fast bowling, as only wicket-keeper
Prasanna Jayawardene
Hewasandatchige Asiri Prasanna Wishvanath Jayawardene ( Sinhala: හේවාසන්දච්චිගේ ආසිරි ප්රසන්න විශ්වනාත් ජයවර්ධන) (born 10 September 1979), commonl ...
passed fifty runs. The touring team had a slender lead of 37, but batting with more composure the second time around,
Ryan Ramdass
Ryan Ramdass (born 3 July 1983) is a Guyanese cricketer of Indian descent. Ramdass is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm offbreak bowler who occasionally occupies the position of wicketkeeper.
He made his debut for Guyana in a match against ...
and
Carlton Baugh
Carlton Seymour Baugh (born 23 June 1982) is a Jamaican cricketer. He attended Wolmer's Schools
He is an aggressive right-hand batsman, wicketkeeper and occasional bowler of leg breaks and googlies. His Test debut came during a five-day matc ...
, who both made fifties, ensured that the visitors would have to chase 316. They were well on their way – despite two wickets from Best early on, and
Avishka Gunawardene
Dihan Avishka Gunawardene (born 26 May 1977), is a former Sri Lankan cricketer, who played Tests and ODne Day Internationals. He served as the Sri Lanka A team coach for many years, and was later appointed batting coach of the national team in ...
retiring hurt – with 126 for 2 at stumps on day 3. And they would have fancied their chances with the hard-hitting Gunawardene at the crease, and the score 255 for 5. Then the wheels fell off – the last five wickets went for three runs, and the West Indians took the first of the three-game series
Sri Lanka A v West Indies A – Second unofficial "Test" (29 June – 1 July)
''Sri Lanka A beat West Indies A by an innings and 16 runs''
Sri Lanka A levelled the series with a comprehensive win over West Indies A. However, the main action was happening off the field, as the West Indies Cricket Board's dispute with its senior players over sponsorship issues caused them to drop key players from the Test squad. Only six first-choice players were named in the Test squad, with West Indies A team members Tino Best, Kerry Jeremy, Xavier Marshall, Ryan Ramdass, Runako Morton, Dwayne Smith, Narsingh Deonarine and Jermaine Lawson being named in the side. Controversy surrounds how much pressure the WICB brought to bear on the A team members, but the situation certainly did not help the team concentrate on the game. On the first day of the match, West Indies A batted first, making 253 as only Runako Morton's 114 saved them from humiliation. In reply,
Russel Arnold
Russel Premakumaran Arnold (Tamil language, Tamil: ரசல் பிரேமகுமரன் ஆனோல்ட், born 25 October 1973), or Russel Arnold, is a former Sri Lankan cricket team, Sri Lankan cricketer of Sri Lankan Tamil peo ...
, with 159 was the mainstay of the Sri Lankan innings as they made 417 to establish a lead of 164. Sajeewa Weerakoon then took 6 for 56 as West Indies A capitulated for 148
Sri Lanka A v West Indies A – Third unofficial "Test" (7–10 July)
''Sri Lanka A beat West Indies A by four wickets''
A new-look West Indies A were close to giving Sri Lanka A a fight, but Sri Lanka A still won the match and the "Test" series.
Daren Ganga
Daren Ganga (born 14 January 1979) is a former Trinidadian cricketer. He was a right-handed top order batsman and part-time right-arm offbreak bowler. After debuting as a 19-year-old he has found himself in and out of the West Indian cricket t ...
made 109 for West Indies A, lifting them to 324 in total, before
Dwayne Washington (cricket), Dwayne Washington took three for 31 as Sri Lanka A were all out, twelve runs behind. However, the match was running out of time, and West Indies A did not seem all that keen on trying to win it. After wicket-keeper
Lendl Simmons
Lendl Mark Platter Simmons (born 25 January 1985) is a Trinidadian cricketer who played internationally for the West Indies. He is a right-handed batsman, an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler, and a part-time wicket-keeper. His uncle is for ...
departed for 52, a total of 104 runs were hit in 55 overs –
Darren Sammy
Daren Julius Garvey Sammy (born 20 December 1983) is a Saint Lucian cricketer who played international cricket for the West Indies. He is a two time T20 World Cup winning captain. On making his One-Day International (ODI) debut against Banglad ...
making 40 not out off 166 balls. Yet, a marathon bowling effort from left-arm spinner
Sajeewa Weerakoon
Sajeewa Weerakoon (born 17 February 1978), is a former Sri Lankan One Day International cricketer. He is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
Domestic career
He has played for Burgher Recreation Club and Galle Cricket Club in domestic cricket. He m ...
yielded six wickets for 57 runs, and West Indies A were all out for 205 – setting a target of 218 with around 40 overs remaining. Sri Lanka A went for it positively, hitting at nearly exactly a run a ball, with
Avishka Gunawardene
Dihan Avishka Gunawardene (born 26 May 1977), is a former Sri Lankan cricketer, who played Tests and ODne Day Internationals. He served as the Sri Lanka A team coach for many years, and was later appointed batting coach of the national team in ...
top scoring with 49. Despite three quick wickets from Sammy to reduce Sri Lanka A to 186 for 6, that was as close as the Caribbean tourists got, as
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Loku Hettige Danushka Dilhara (born 3 July 1980), known as Dilhara Lokuhettige, is a Sri Lankan former cricketer, who played limited over cricket. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler. Lokuhittege had captained Colombo ...
made 22 not out and guided the hosts to the target
Sri Lanka A v West Indies A – First unofficial "ODI" (13 July)
''Sri Lanka A tied with West Indies A (D/L method)''
An entertaining one-day game between the two sides ended in a tie – West Indies A reaching the
Duckworth–Lewis method, Duckworth/Lewis target. Earlier, Sri Lanka A had enlisted the help of
Saman Jayantha
Warushavithana Saman Jayantha (born 26 January 1974), known as Saman Jayantha, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played 17 One Day Internationals for Sri Lanka in 2004 before he was dropped by the Sri Lankan selectors.
International career
He ...
who made 73, while off-spinner
Dave Mohammed
Dave Mohammad (born 8 October 1979) is a former West Indian cricketer. He is a slow left-arm wrist-spin bowler, and bats left-handed.
Having played only three first-class matches for Trinidad and Tobago, Mohammad was called up to the West In ...
took four for 44. A revised target of 201 in 41 overs looked tricky for the West Indies, as Dilhara Loku Hettige took three early wickets and with some help had the tourists tied down on 99 for 6, but
Carlton Baugh
Carlton Seymour Baugh (born 23 June 1982) is a Jamaican cricketer. He attended Wolmer's Schools
He is an aggressive right-hand batsman, wicketkeeper and occasional bowler of leg breaks and googlies. His Test debut came during a five-day matc ...
and Mohammed rescued them to 200 for 6 after 41 overs.
Sri Lanka A v West Indies A – Second unofficial "ODI" (14 July)
''Sri Lanka A beat West Indies A by 15 runs (D/L method)''
Marlon Samuels
Marlon Nathaniel Samuels (born 5 February 1981) is a former Jamaican cricketer who played internationally for the West Indies in all three formats, and a former ODI captain. He is a right-handed middle order batsman and an off-spinner. He was a ...
(100) and
David Bernard (66) were the mainstays of the West Indian innings after they were put into bat by Sri Lanka. The West Indians scored well, making their way to 273 for 9 off their 50 overs. Whilst Sri Lanka lost the occasional wicket, they were able to put on partnerships of 31, 41, 51 and 9 before Arnold and Jayawardene got together. 102 runs later the partnership was broken and Sri Lanka moved to 243 for 5 when rain brought an end to the match after 44 overs. This left the hosts comfortable winners on the
Duckworth–Lewis method
Sri Lanka A v West Indies A – Third unofficial "ODI" (16 July)
''Sri Lanka A beat West Indies A by seven wickets''
The West Indians were put into bat at
Moratuwa
Moratuwa ( si, මොරටුව, ta, மொறட்டுவை) is a large suburb of Colombo, on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, near Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. It is situated on the Galle–Colombo (Galle road) main highway, south o ...
as rain reduced the match to a 35-over-a-side affair. West Indies A started strongly, reaching 71 for 1 before wickets started to tumble when Chattergoon (38) fell. Ganga (52), who came in first wicket down, anchored the innings, and was eighth man out. But no-one was able to stay with him for long as the West Indies were all out for 168 with 19 balls still to go. Sri Lanka encountered few difficulties in reaching their target, which they did with eleven balls and seven wickets spare. However, they did have an early wobble as Gunawardene, Jayantha and Kalavitagoda were all out with the score still on 39. Then Tharanga (74*) and Arnold (39*) saw the hosts home to a result that means Sri Lanka cannot lose the series
Sri Lanka A v West Indies A – Fourth unofficial "ODI" (18 July)
''West Indies A beat Sri Lanka A by eight wickets''
The tourists pegged Sri Lanka A back to 1–2 in the series after bowling them out for 164 and then batting well to get to the total. Richard Kelly and Darren Sammy took four early wickets as Sri Lanka went from 20 for 0 to 26 for 4, and after Arnold and Jayawardene rebuilt, Lendl Simmons and David Bernard grabbed a wicket each to set Sri Lanka A further back. Kelly took a further two wickets to finish with four for 38, and Sri Lanka A finished on 164 all out. Lendl Simmons then cracked the highest score of the day by far, making 97 off 102 balls, and West Indies A took a comprehensive eight-wicket win
Sri Lanka A v West Indies A – Fifth unofficial "ODI" (19 July)
''Sri Lanka A beat West Indies A by 72 runs''
Sri Lanka A secured the series thanks to 69
not out
In cricket, a batter is not out if they come out to bat in an innings and have not been dismissed by the end of an innings. The batter is also ''not out'' while their innings is still in progress.
Occurrence
At least one batter is not out at t ...
from Russel Arnold who hit runs quickly on a difficult pitch at
Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground
Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, a first-class cricket ground in Maitland Place, Colombo, is the home ground of the Nondescripts Cricket Club.
Location
The ground is in the Cinnamon Gardens district of Colombo, next to the Sinhalese Sports Club ...
. He was well helped by Jayawardene, as the pair took plenty of runs off Darren Sammy and Dwight Washington. Despite four for 23 from spinner Dave Mohammed, Sri Lanka A made 227, and all their bowlers proceeded to take wickets as West Indies rolled over for 155. Dave Mohammed was the star with the bat as well, making 43, while Dave Bernard recorded a frustrating 12 off 41 balls
References
Cricinfo page on West Indies A in Sri Lanka in 2005Caribbeancricket.com
{{International cricket tours of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cricket seasons from 2000–01
International cricket competitions in 2005
2005 in cricket
2005 in Sri Lankan cricket
West Indian cricket tours of Sri Lanka