Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and one drop batter Oshada Fernando were run-out in the late stages of the 3rd session as the hosts went into stumps on day 3 still trailing West Indies by 3 runs.
Dimuth Karunaratne has enjoyed a purple patch in Test cricket in 2021, turning into the backbone off the Sri Lankan batting line-up. However, Sri Lanka’s batting has struggled when he hasn’t made runs, making his dismissal in the 2nd innings late on day 3 worrying as he was run-out going for a run that just wasn’t there.
To make matters worse, Oshada Fernando too was run-out in similar fashion, putting Sri Lanka in deep trouble at 46/2 at stumps. With Angelo Mathews expected to be hampered by his hamstring tear, Sri Lanka’s middle order will have a tough task to set West Indies a defendable total.
Earlier in the day, the Sri Lankan spinners continued to struggle with their lengths in the 1st session of play, with both Brathwaite and overnight batter Nkrumah Bonner looking to play on the back foot.
Ironically, it was fast bowler Suranga Lakmal who looked the most threatening of the hosts’ bowlers, managing to hit the pads and beat the bat of both batters on a number of occasions during his spell of 5 overs for 6 runs.
The breakthrough eventually came when Ramesh Mendis trapped Bonner in front for 35, and from that point Sri Lanka was able to pick up wickets at regular intervals with Mendis being the chief tormenter, picking up his maiden first class 5-wicket haul and finishing with figures of 6/70.
The visitors’ fall of wickets almost mirrored Sri Lanka’s first innings, but Kyle Mayers and Veerasamy Permaul made some crucial runs to help the visitors get to a lead of 49.
