Nash fifty carries West Indies

Stumps Sri Lanka Cricket President's XI 59 for 3 (Silva 13*, Kandamby 0*, Sammy 1-0) trail West Indians 176 (Nash 62, Welegedara 3-37, Bandara 3-39) by 117 runs
Scorecard

West Indies' batsmen struggled on the first day of their tour match against a Sri Lanka President's XI at Colombo, an 81-run stand between Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Brendan Nash - who went on to make 62 - the only partnership of note as they were bowled out for 176. Kemar Roach and Nelon Pascal, who took the new ball for the tourists, removed both openers early, while new captain Darren Sammy struck in the final over of the day as the Sri Lankans finished on 59 for 3 in reply.

The West Indians will have been hoping for more time in the middle after Sammy won the toss and opted to bat, as this is their only warm-up game ahead of the first Test at Galle on November 15. But left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedara got past both openers, Chris Gayle and Adrian Barath, early and Thilan Thushara bowled Darren Bravo as West Indies slipped to 29 for 3. Chanderpaul and Nash then came together for just over 25 overs of obstinate occupation of the crease, taking the score to 110 before Chanderpaul feathered an edge behind to be out for an 83-ball 33.

In comparison, Nash was rather more attacking and struck seven fours before he too was caught behind to give legspinner Malinga Bandara his first wicket. In the very next over Dwayne Bravo was pinned lbw by Welegedara to reduce West Indies to 134 for 6, and the President's XI spinners ensured there would be no lower-order fightback as Bandara shared the last four wickets with Ajantha Mendis to bowl the visitors out in the 56th over.

President's XI then lost both Tharanga Paranavitana and Dimuth Karunaratne in the space of three overs before Lahiru Thirimanne took advantage of some loose offerings from Roach and Pascal in a boundary-laden cameo that pushed the score past fifty. He was caught behind off Sammy in the final over of the day, however, and West Indies will be hoping for another breakthrough early on day two to keep them in the match.