Mendis halts Windies progress
Port of Spain, June 10: Kusal Mendis led a strong Sri Lankan second innings effort but West Indies still held the advantage at stumps on day four of the first Test at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad on Saturday.
Set a daunting target of 453 when the hosts declared their second innings at 223/ 7 after lunch, the visitors reached 176/ 3 by the close with Mendis unbeaten on 94.
They require another 277 runs on the final day and will be hoping their captain Dinesh Chandimal, who retired unwell on 15 in the afternoon session, can resume his innings to bolster a team that looked completely out of contention at the start of the day’s play. Given that the world record for the highest successful run chase in the fourth innings of a Test match is 418 — set by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003 — the odds are very much stacked against the Sri Lankans, especially with the pitch offering more variable bounce.
However, if Mendis can replicate the determination he showed through nearly four hours at the crease and get the support from his team mates, starting with nightwatchman Lahiru Gamage, then a draw at the very least still remains a possibility.
His innings has not been without incident, though, as he would have been given out caught behind off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel when on six. West Indies ( 1st innings) 414/ 8 decl.
Sri Lanka ( 1st innings) 185.
West Indies ( 2nd innings): K. Brathwaite c wkpr Dickwella b Kumara 16, D. Smith b Lakmal 20, K. Powell c sub ( Vandersay) b Perera 88, S. Hope c Silva b Kumara 1, R. Chase b Herath
12, S. Dowrich lbw Kumara 13, J. Holder lbw Herath 39, D. Bishoo ( not out) 16, K. Roach ( not out) 11. Extras: ( b 4 , lb 2, nb1) 7. Total: ( for 7 wkts, in 72 overs) 223. FoW: 1- 36, 2- 55, 3- 75, 4119, 4- 149, 6- 191, 7- 203. Bowling: Lakmal 12- 232- 1, Gamage 15- 3- 43- 0, Herath 24- 5- 52- 2, Kumara 9- 0- 40- 3, Perera 12- 1- 50- 1.
Sri Lanka ( 2nd innings): K. Mendis ( batting) 94, K. Perera c Smith b Gabriel 12, D. Chandimal retd. hurt 15, A. Mathews c wkpr Dowrich b Holder 31, R. Silva c and b Bishoo 14, L. Gamage ( batting) 0. Extras: ( b3, lb3, nb4) 10. Total: ( for 3 wkts, in 53.4 overs) 176.
FoW: 1- 21, 2- 123, 3- 175. Bowling: Roach 102- 44- 0, Gabriel 1 0 . 4 - 2 - 4 4 - 1 , Holder 10- 4- 18- 1, Cummins 8- 1- 220, Bishoo 10- 132- 1, Chase 5- 010- 0.