GALLE: Sri Lanka made steady progress to reach lunch 61 without loss in the opening Test Sunday against the West Indies, who had debutant Jeremy Solozano taken to hospital after being hit on the helmet while fielding.
Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne was unbeaten on 32 with three boundaries while Pathum Nissanka was on 25.
Solozano was fielding close in at short-leg when Karunaratne attempted a full blooded pull shot off the bowling of Chase and the ball smacked a fierce blow into the fielder’s helmet grill.
Medical staff attended to him on the ground before he was taken on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance which took him to the hospital.
West Indies used six bowlers in the opening session but none were able to find a breakthrough.
Rahkeem Cornwall did find the outside edge of Karunaratne’s bat but Jermaine Blackwood at slip was unable to hold on as he attempted a one-handed grab.
And West Indies unsuccessfully reviewed after Karunaratne took an uncharacteristic reverse sweep off the left-arm orthodox spin of Jomel Warrican and the ball struck his front pad.
Television replays showed the impact was outside off-stump.
The tourists lost their second review for a caught behind of Nissanka off the bowling of Roston Chase.
West Indies, who lost the toss, surprised fans by leaving out Kemar Roach, their most experienced player and the eighth-highest Test wicket-taker.
Sri Lanka packed their side with specialist bowlers, playing three left-arm spinners.
