Latest update September 22nd, 2026 10:30 AM
Sri Lanka try to make a play after Greaves 180, Hope 112
Cricinfo – Sri Lanka rolled the momentum they had built in the latter half of the second session to roll over the final two West Indian wickets, to take a 50-run first innings lead. By stumps, they had extended that to 142 for the loss of two wickets.
At the crease were Kamindu Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal, on a fairly brisk third wicket stand of 60 off 72. Kamindu’s entrance at 32 for 2 proved the catalyst for Sri Lanka’s improved rate of scoring, as he wasted little time in looking to take on the bowling.
Justin Greaves and Shai Hope brought up their centuries close to each other. (AFP/Getty Images)
Having watched from the other end for a couple of overs, he belatedly faced his fourth delivery of the innings, which he promptly got a thick edge over a slow-to-react Justin Greaves at first slip. Two balls later he produced a more convincing boundary through extra cover, and then saved the best for last with a screaming drive square past cover.
At the start of the next over he flicked a loose one from Alzarri Joseph over deep square leg safely with the wind, and just like that he had raced to 23 off ten. Chandimal at the other end wasn’t as convincing, but he seemed to have fortune on his side.
Of his three boundaries, two came via edges, though an uppercut six off Alzarri signalled his intent as well to push the scoring along. By the close of play he had moved to 40 off 66, with Kamindu on 30 off 35. Sri Lanka moving at a healthy scoring rate of 4.18.
Asitha Fernando bowls during his five wicket haul. (AFP/Getty Images)
Prior to their intervention, a fiery opening burst from Shamar Joseph, allied with that trademark precision probing from Jayden Seales, accounted for the early removal of first innings centurion Lahiru Udara.
The Lankan opener was unable to add anything to his match tally, after failing to navigate a length ball that seamed back sharply to rap him just above the knee roll. Sri Lanka wasted a review as well, as replays showed this to be hitting the top of leg stump.
Chandimal and Nishan Madushka then came together to prevent any further inroads and they managed to scratch together a 51-ball stand of 30. But with the pitch now showing more variable bounce and the West Indian seamers utilising the lateral movement on offer with the new ball effectively, there were some nervy moments.
Both Madushka and Chandimal were beaten on the outside edge by the excellent Seales, as he continued to probe that channel outside off, while the introduction of Alzarri Joseph forced the Lankan batters to deal with some uncomfortable bounce.
And it was just this that brought about Madushka’s dismissal, as one rose up from a good length to take the edge off the shoulder of the bat. There was still work to do though, as this seemed to be clearing first slip, only for John Campbell to jump fully extended with both hands and claim the catch.
But despite those early wickets, as Sri Lanka seek an unlikely victory, they will hope that in Chandimal and Kamindu they have two batters capable of getting some fast runs on the fifth morning before presumably putting the hosts back into bat.
Scores: Sri Lanka 549 for 9 dec and 92 for 2 (Chandimal 40*) lead West Indies 499 (Greaves 180, Hope 112, Asitha 5-130) by 142 runs.
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