Windies, S/Lanka square off in historic Test in Barbados – Paul set to become 315thWindies Test player today

Jun 23, 2018 Sports

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By Sean Devers in Barbados
In Association with Vnet Communications,
Noble House Seafoods, Bounty Farm & Carib Beer

Today, Kensington Oval in Barbados will host its 58th Test match and first day night match in the West Indies when Windies, who lead three-match series 1-nill, face-off with Sri Lanka, on their fifth tour to the Caribbean.
The historic third and final Test bowls off at 15:00hrs at a venue where Windies have only lost 11 Tests although 10 of them were lost in their last 23 matches from 1991 to 2017.
Sri Lanka has never played a Test match at the ‘Mecca’and will hope for their first win in the West Indies since beating the host in Guyana in 2008 in the inaugural Test at Providence, to draw the series.
Windies beat Sri Lanka for the first time in 10 years in the opening Test in Trinidad, while a fighting unbeaten 59 by Kraigg Brathwaite, a protest by Sri Lanka after ball tampering allegations and rain, denied the visitors from the Island nation, a possible series levelling victory in St Lucia.
The ground which hosted the first ever Test in the West Indies in January 1930 should see a large Saturday night crowd as fans anticipate a series win.
If selected, fast-bowling all-rounder Kemo Paul will be the 315th West Indian, the 52nd Guyanese and the first Essequibo player to play Test cricket.
The 20-year-old Paul, who has played four ODIs, comes in for ill countryman Shimron Hetymer and could replace fellow Guyanese leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo in the only change in the home team on a track which could offer bounce and carry with the Pink ball under lights.
Grenadian Devon Smith is the only surviving member of the team which made the highest total by any West Indies team (749-9 declared) against England in Barbados in 2009. Smith made 55 in that match with Ramnaresh Sarwan making 291 and Denesh Ramdin getting 166.
The 36-year-old Smith, recalled to Test cricket for the time in three years, got 61 in the first innings in St Lucia but his other three innings produced just 28 runs and he will know that this is his last chance to prolong his Test career in which he managed just a single ton from 71 Test innings.
The 25-year-old Braithwaite has 99 runs from four innings in this series and is without a century in 13 innings. He will want to register his 7th ton before his home fans.
Wicket-Keeper Shane Dowrich has 201 runs including an unbeaten 125 and a fifty and a lot will be depended on him on home soil, while Kieran Powell has looked good without converting good starts.
His three tons came in the space of six innings in 2012 but his next 34 innings has failed to produce a three-figure score.
The 24-year-old Shai Hope, one of seven Bajans in the squad, is the most flamboyant batsman in the team. His two tons were scored in the same match against England and he will want to reproduce that form here.
Royston Chase, Skipper Jason Holder and Paul all have First-Class hundreds, while the Windies’ bowling will be led by the impressive and genuinely quick Shannon Gabriel.
The 30-year-old Gabriel captured his 100th wicket in St Lucia and has 17 wickets from two Tests in this series. His 13-121 is only bettered by Micheal Holding’s 14-149 against England in 1976 and Courtney Walsh’s 13-55 against New Zealand in 1995, among West Indians.
Kemar Roach (8 Wkts), Holder and Miguel Cummings (3 each) should provide support to Gabriel, while if he plays, so will Paul.
In 19 Tests Sri Lanka has beaten the Windies eight times and lost on four occasions since they first met in 1993 but this is one of weakest Sri Lankan teams to tour the West Indies.
Things have gotten worse for Sri Lanka after Skipper Dinesh Chandimal lost his appeal over a ball-tampering charge and will miss the final Test.
Chandimal is Sri Lanka’s most experienced batsman. He has 11 Test tons and is the other Sri Lankan with a century on this tour.
He is the glue which binds the middle order and now that he has been forced out of this game the burden of the batting will be on Kusal Mendis.
Mendis has looked accomplished and scored his maiden Hundred and a fifty to be the leading run scorer in the series with 228 runs while Niroshan Dickwella has to step up and contribute runs.
At just 21, Lahiru Kumara bowls with plenty of pace and has 11 wickets and should enjoy the conditions here. Suranga Lakmal and Kasun Rajitha, who took five wickets in St Lucia, should support Kumara.
Forty-year-old left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, whose 418 wickets including 33 five-wicket hauls, has the most wickets than any other left arm bowler, should do the bulk of the spinning in a series in which batsmen on both side seemed uncomfortable against the short balls.

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