Sri Lanka steal Day 1 from under frustrated Windies at North Sound
Stumps, Day 1: Sri Lanka 338 for 5 (Udara 188, Kamindu 84, Shamar 2-60) vs. West Indies
The West Indies were made to toil on Friday’s first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Antigua and Barbuda.
A stunning century from Lahiru Udara (188) was at the heart of the Sri Lankan innings, which was paused on 338 at stumps at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
The Caribbean seamers managed to snatch two late wickets to ensure half of the visiting side was back in the pavilion.
While welcoming back the recovered Shai Hope to the XI, the West Indies entered the contest without the services of Kemar Roach, who is nursing a hamstring injury. Still, Windies were coming off the high of an innings win, while Sri Lanka had four players unavailable, including two who featured in the first game.
The day began promising for the West Indies. They started well with the ball, claiming two early wickets. Yet a mammoth 215-run third-wicket partnership between Udara and Kamindu Mendis turned the tide squarely in Sri Lanka’s favour.
The pair saw Sri Lanka through to lunch at 99 for two before cashing in in the second session. They capitalized on indiscipline from the Caribbean bowlers to accumulate 125 runs at 5.21 runs per over in a wicket-less post-lunch period.
Udara, who had the opportunity to play his third Test because Pathum Nissanka was unavailable, was especially punishing, hitting five maximums as he raced to an impressive 117-ball hundred, with the score 224 without further loss at Tea.
The West Indies were tidy to begin the evening session, with Roston Chase’s off-spin drying up the runs at one end. Ironically enough, the stumping that would break the partnership came off Shai Hope standing up to seamer Justin Greaves at the other.
Donning the gloves once more, Hope completed some nifty work to whip off Kamindu’s bails as he lost his balance chasing one down the leg side at 240 for three.
Dhananjaya de Silva joined Udara, and the pair continued accumulating runs. This time, to the West Indies' credit, at a slower rate, as they allowed just the 3.08 rpo in the final session.
They put on 93 runs for the fourth wicket before Alzarri had Udara caught at fine leg near close of play. He fell just short of a double on 188.
Dhananjaya followed four deliveries later, caught at slip to become Jayden Seales’ 100th Test scalp. The second-quickest West Indian to the landmark (in terms of balls).
Having earlier lost the toss, Windies managed to pick up early wickets courtesy of Shamar Joseph. He had Nishan Madushka (6) and Dinesh Chandimal (1) caught, both by Brandon King, to restrict Sri Lanka to 25 for two.
The West Indies were deliberate in drawing the visiting batters forward for the majority of the first hour of play before a loss of control from the Caribbean seamers resulted in a detrimental shift in lengths and balance.
The hosts began to miss Roach as the morning session dragged on and they failed to induce false strokes.
They needed a spark of brilliance, and it was eventually provided by Seales on the stroke of Lunch.
Udara, on 55 at the time, was undone by extra bounce from the 24-year-old. He fended it into the slip cordon, where Justin Greaves at second motioned to go for the ball but pulled out at the last minute, only unsighting John Campbell at first and inciting the bowler’s anger.
Consistency continued to elude the Caribbean side in the second session, and as it would turn out, even luck begrudged the West Indies. With the score on 138, Kamindu had actually edged one from Alzarri through to wicketkeeper Shai Hope. So faint it was that the West Indies failed to appeal.