Lankans finally take the upper hand despite controversy

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Caption: Kusal Mendis once again shows his class and confidence.

A century stand for the 5th wicket between Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis, by far the two-best batsmen in the team, put Sri Lanka 287 runs ahead going into the 5th and final day of the 2nd Test against the West Indies at Gros Islet.

In the wake of the ball-tampering controversy, skipper Dinesh Chandimal and the team showcased real grit and determination on the 4th day. It was a horrific start for the visitors as three wickets fell in quick succession early in the day but a 117-run partnership between skipper Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis rescued them from another collapse.

Chandimal was well on his way to another big score and it looked like it was his day too, with him being caught in the slips off a no-ball and Holder opting not to review an LBW, which looked plumb in front. Ultimately it was the DRS which sent him back to the pavilion. Roach’s short delivery outside the off stump found a faint edge which was not heard by the umpire but skipper Holder, after consulting the wicketkeeper, opted to go upstairs which overturned the on-field decision.

After the dismissal of the skipper, Kusal Mendis took center stage in the innings as he showed confidence and class in his knock of 87 before Shannon Gabriel cleaned him up just after the tea break. Windies had the opening they needed but Holder’s captaincy was put into scrutiny when he let the two new batsmen ease into their innings. Niroshan Dickwella and Roshen Silva then got in the act and kept the Windies bowling attack at bay. Dickwella was the first to reach the half-century mark off just 53 balls to become the first Sri Lankan wicketkeeper to score a 50 in the Caribbean.

Roshen Silva, unfortunately, missed out on a well-deserved half-century when he was dismissed for 48, but together the pair added 99 runs for the 7th wicket. Silva’s wicket completed the 10-wicket match haul for Shannon Gabriel,  who became the first Windies bowler to take a 10-wicket haul against Sri Lanka. Shannon went on to get rid of Dickwella who looked to up the ante but failed to contend with the pace of the big West Indian.

Kasun Rajitha, who came in as nightwatchman perished early on and was followed by Dhanajaya De Silva who prodded at a delivery way outside the off stump and edged it straight to first slip. Mahela Udawatte, who got himself in yesterday failed to capitalize on the start he got as he chipped one straight to mid off to the bowling of Roach.

There was more controversy and stoppages due to rain during the day. The umpires had to change the ball due to the stickiness on it. They came to realize that it was Roshen Silva’s bat face which had caused this and asked him to change the bat immediately. The ball was also changed consequently. Despite all this controversy and the overnight verdict on skipper Chandimal, both teams played with integrity which was admirable. However, it will be interesting to see what the teams would do tomorrow when they come out to play as both have chances of winning the match.









Title





Full Scorecard

Sri Lanka

253/10 & 342/10

(91.4 overs)

Result

West Indies

300/10 & 147/5

(60.3 overs)

Match Drawn

Sri Lanka’s 1st Innings

Batting R B
Kusal Perera c J.Holder b K.Roach 32 55
Mahela Udawatte c J.Holder b S.Gabriel 0 2
Dananjaya De Silva b S.Gabriel 12 14
Kusal Mendis c S.Dowrich b J.Holder 45 83
Dinesh Chandimal not out 119 186
Roshen Silva c J.Holder b S.Gabriel 6 23
Niroshan Dickwella c S.Hope b S.Gabriel 16 55
Akila Dananjaya c S.Dowrich b K.Roach 2 10
Suranga Lakmal lbw by S.Gabriel 10 9
Kasun Rajitha c S.Dowrich b K.Roach 4 33
Lahiru Kumara c S.Hope b K.Roach 0 6
Extras
7 (b 1, lb 2, nb 2, w 2)
Total
253/10 (79 overs)
Fall of Wickets:
1-0 (M Udawatte, 1.2 ov), 2-15 (D de Silva, 5.4 ov), 3-59 (KJ Perera, 18.1 ov), 4-126 (K Mendis, 34.1 ov), 5-148 (R Silva, 43.1 ov), 6-179 (N Dickwella, 59.4 ov), 7-190 (A Dananjaya, 62.6 ov), 8-206 (S Lakmal, 65.4 ov), 9-237 (K Rajitha, 76.4 ov), 10-253 (L Kumara, 78.6 ov)
Bowling O M R W E
Kemar Roach 18 8 49 4 2.72
Shanon Gabriel 16 4 59 5 3.69
Miguel Cummins 19 5 69 0 3.63
Jason Holder 14 2 56 1 4.00
Devendra Bishoo 11 3 15 0 1.36
Roston Chase 1 0 2 0 2.00

West Indies’s 1st Innings

Batting R B
Kraig Brathwaite c N.Dickwella b K.Rajitha 22 79
Devon Smith lbw by A.Dananjaya 61 176
Keiran Powell c K.Mendis b L.Kumara 27 45
Shai Hope c D.De.Silva b S.Lakmal 19 41
Roston Chase c S.Lakmal b L.Kumara 41 68
Shane Dowrich c N.Dickwella b S.Lakmal 55 98
Jason Holder c N.Dickwella b K.Rajitha 15 35
Devendra Bishoo c K.Mendis b K.Rajitha 2 13
Kemar Roach lbw by L.Kumara 13 21
Miguel Cummins not out 8 20
Shanon Gabriel c D.De.Silva b L.Kumara 3 8
Extras
34 (b 11, lb 8, nb 1, w 9, pen 5)
Total
300/10 (100.3 overs)
Fall of Wickets:
1-59 (K Brathwaite, 24.4 ov), 2-115 (K Powell, 40.6 ov), 3-149 (S Hope, 54.3 ov), 4-163 (D Smith, 59.1 ov), 5-241 (R Chase, 80.4 ov), 6-254 (S Dowrich, 86.3 ov), 7-261 (D Bishoo, 89.6 ov), 8-279 (J Holder, 93.3 ov), 9-292 (K Roach, 98.4 ov), 10-300 (S Gabriel, 100.3 ov)
Bowling O M R W E
Suranga Lakmal 24 6 50 2 2.08
Akila Dananjaya 25 7 81 1 3.24
Kasun Rajitha 22 6 49 3 2.23
Lahiru Kumara 26.3 4 86 4 3.27
Dananjaya De Silva 3 0 10 0 3.33

Sri Lanka’s 2nd Innings

Batting R B
Kusal Perera c S.Dowrich b S.Gabriel 20 23
Mahela Udawatta c D.Bishoo b K.Roach 19 46
Kasun Rajitha lbw by S.Gabriel 0 6
Dananjaya De Silva c D.Smith b S.Gabriel 3 15
Kusal Mendis b S.Gabriel 87 117
Dinesh Chadimal c S.Dowrich b K.Roach 39 112
Roshen Silva c S.Dowrich b S.Gabriel 48 115
Niroshen Dickwella c K.Powell b S.Gabriel 62 70
Akila Dananjaya b S.Gabriel 23 30
Suranga Lakmal lbw by S.Gabriel 7 22
Lahiru Kumara not out 0 5
Extras
34 (b 12, lb 8, nb 11, w 3)
Total
342/10 (91.4 overs)
Fall of Wickets:
1-32 (KJ Perera, 7.4 ov), 2-34 (K Rajitha, 9.4 ov), 3-44 (D de Silva, 13.6 ov), 4-48 (M Udawatte, 16.2 ov), 5-165 (D Chandimal, 47.4 ov), 6-199 (K Mendis, 57.2 ov), 7-298 (R Silva, 81.1 ov), 8-307 (N Dickwella, 83.1 ov),9-334 (S.Lakmal, 89.5), 10-342 (A.Dananjaya, 91.4)
Bowling O M R W E
Kemar Roach 21 3 78 2 3.71
Shanon Gabriel 20.4 6 62 8 3.04
Jason Holder 15 5 38 0 2.53
Miguel Cummins 13 1 44 0 3.38
Devendra Bishoo 11 0 58 0 5.27
Roston Chase 10 1 38 0 3.80
Kraig Brathwaite 1 0 4 0 4.00

West Indies’s 2nd Innings

Batting R B
Kraig Brathwaite not out 59 172
Devon Smith c D.De.Silva b K.Rajitha 1 5
Kieran Powell c M.Udawatta b K.Rajitha 2 2
Shai Hope b S.Lakmal 39 115
Roston Chase b S.Lakmal 13 37
Shane Dowrich c D.De.Silva b A.Dananjaya 8 12
Jason Holder not out 15 20
Extras
10 (b 10)
Total
147/5 (60.3 overs)
Fall of Wickets:
1-6 (D Smith, 3.2 ov), 2-8 (K Powell, 3.4 ov), 3-55 (R Chase, 22.6 ov), 4-64 (S Dowrich, 27.2 ov), 5-117 (S Hope, 54.3 ov)
Bowling O M R W E
Suranga Lakmal 17.3 3 48 2 2.77
Kasun Rajitha 13 3 23 2 1.77
Lahiru Kumara 10 3 28 0 2.80
Akila Dananjaya 19 7 33 1 1.74
Dananjaya De Silva 1 0 5 0 5.00