SLOW BUT STEADY MARCH FOR WINDIES
Gros-Islet (Saint Lucia),
June 16: Devon Smith battled disciplined bowling and frequent stoppages for rain to compile an unbeaten half-century as the West Indies reached 118/2 in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 253 on a truncated second day of the second Test at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia on Friday.
Less than 43 overs were possible on a day of frequent interruptions but Smith took advantage of the opportunity to compile his first Test half-century since the opening match of the home series against England in Antigua in 2015.
He resumes on the third morning, weather permitting, on 53 in partnership with Shai Hope.
There has been much discussion through the region over the recall of the 36year-old Grenadian three years after he played his last Test match. Following a double-failure in the first Test, notwithstanding a comprehensive 226-run victory for the home side in Trinidad,
Smith would have been acutely aware of the attention he was attracting from critics questioning the wisdom of continuing with a player averaging less than 25 runs per innings over his previous 39 Tests.
Together with opening partner Kraigg Brathwaite, he played with exaggerated care through a testing morning session when the Sri Lankan bowlers, especially their three seamers, challenged the duo under overcast skies. Lahiru Kumara, who impressed with a sevenwicket haul at the Queen’s Park Oval, again proved a handful with the pace and bounce extracted from a pitch which continues to offer assistance to the faster bowlers.
Less than 43 overs were possible on a day of frequent interruptions for rain