St. Vincent and the Grenadines-born Jomel Warrican started his Test career on a high with 4 wickets as West Indies bowled out Sri Lanka on the opening day of second Test match of the Sobers/Tissera Series.
The 23-year-old left-arm spinner was born in SVG but migrated to neighbouring Barbados at the age of 11.
On Thursday he was presented with his Test cap by his hero, Garfield Sobers, and went on to take 4-67 in helping dismiss the Sri Lankan for 200 after tea.
Kusal Perera became Warricans’s first test wicket when he top edged a return catch off a full toss.
The experienced pacer, Jerome Taylor, took 2 for 50 and captain Jason Holder 2 for 22 on a helpful pitch at the P Sara Oval.
Milinda Siriwardana (68), playing his second Test, scored his maiden 50 in a confident display hitting 6 fours and 2 sixes.
The Windies closed at 17-1 with opener Kraigg Brathwaite on 4 not out and night watchman Devendra Bishoo on 5 not out.
Opener Shai Hope (4) once again continued his struggle at the international level after failing for yet another time LBW to Dhammika Prasad.
In his 8 innings to date the, 21-year-old Hope has scored 123 runs at an average of 15.37 with a highest score of 36.
“It was a delight to get my cap from Sir Garry. He gave me words of encouragement and said, ‘This is the first of many (matches) to come.’ It felt special coming from the great man,” Warrican said.
“At the beginning of the day the jitters were there, but as I got into the work I felt much better. I would have loved a five-for, but a four-for on my Test debut, I would take that.”
He sent down 20 overs had 2 maidens in taking his 4 wickets.
Warrican is the tenth Vincentian to have played test cricket and the eighth to have done so for the West Indies.
Allrounder Neil Williams and opener Wilfred Slack, both deceased, represented England.
He was among the top spinners in the regional 2014/15 first class season bagging 49 wickets.
His debut comes 11 months after medium pacer Kenroy Peters was called up for a solitary test against South Africa.