Hope, Greaves share in 174-run unbroken stand; Windies still trail by 231 runs

Stumps, Day 3: West Indies 318 for 4 (Hope 86*, Greaves 85*, Fernando 2-74) trail Sri Lanka 549 for 9 dec. (Udara 188, Dinusha 92, Seales 2-98) by 231 runs

A 174-run unbeaten fifth-wicket stand between Shai Hope and Justin Greaves has put the West Indies 32 runs away from forcing Sri Lanka to bat again in the second Test.

On a day that they only lost three wickets, the Caribbean side got to stumps on 318 for 4, still 231 runs adrift of the visitors’ first innings, 549 for 9, declared. 

Hope and Greaves came together early in the second session with the score at 144 for 4. They batted expertly for 54 overs, ensuring the West Indies got to close of play without further loss.

Theirs was a partnership of control and sublime strokeplay. With the Sri Lankans targeting the stumps, the Barbadian duo responded with repeated flicks and clips through the on-side. 

Hope’s 86* is his fourth 50-plus score in his last five innings, which includes two centuries. Meanwhile, Greaves’ unbeaten 85 is only his second half-century in 16 Tests.

The West Indies had earlier resumed the day on 58 for one, still trailing by 491 runs.

The pair of John Campbell and Kavem Hodge negotiated a testing period of disciplined bowling from the Sri Lankans to get through the first hour of play without losing a wicket.

Hodge survived a close lbw call after being given out to Isitha Wijesundara on-field before the decision was overturned upon review. Campbell, in the meantime, grew into his innings at the other end. 

The left-hander soaked up the pressure, earning the right to go hard at anything short and wide on the way to a fourth Test fifty. 

He fell to Asitha Fernando on 72, caught at deep midwicket ten minutes before Lunch taking on the short ball. His wicket was the lone casualty in the session for the hosts, who got to the break on 132 for two.

Following the 89-run stand between Campbell and Hodge, Windies had three bites of the cherry before finding something else of significance. 

Prabath Jayasuriya cut short first Test double-centurion Amir Jangoo’s stay for nine before accounting for Hodge (31 from 139) half an hour into the afternoon session. 

At that point, the West Indies found themselves fighting to avoid the follow-on at 144 for four.