NORTH SOUND, Antigua and Barbuda, April 2, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – In an almost
exact reversal of roles from the first Test, Sri Lanka will go into the final
day of the second and final Test having been set a challenging target of 377
after the West Indies declared their second innings at 280 for four on the
fourth day on Thursday.
A week earlier the Caribbean side batted through the last day at the same
venue to ensure a draw after being set 375 to win.
Now it will be the visitors heading to the final morning at 29 without loss
after the opening pair of Lahiru Thirimanne and captain Dimuth Karunaratne
navigated nine overs to the close.
For the second time in four years Kraigg Brathwaite missed out on the rare
feat of centuries in both innings of a Test when he was dismissed for 85 as
the West Indies skipper was again the fulcrum of his team’s second innings
effort.
In the second Test of the 2017 series against England at Leeds, Brathwaite
scored 134 and 95 as the West Indies achieved a famous victory.
Having occupied the crease for eight-and-a-half hours in accumulating 126
out of 354 in the first innings, Brathwaite was more energetic second time
around with his team looking to set a declaration.
Nevertheless his five hours at the crease in which he faced 196 balls and
struck only four boundaries was again typical of his phlegmatic manner.
Expectations of a declaration when he was bowled by Dushmantha Chameera
deep into the final session proved unfounded as the pair of Jason Holder and
Joshua da Silva put on 53 unbroken for the fifth wicket when the call finally
came.
Holder dominated the scoring with an unbeaten 71.
“I just wanted to give us enough time to get the sort of runs on the board
that our bowlers can work with,” said Braithwaite in justifying the delayed
declaration.
“This is still a good batting pitch but I back our bowlers to put in a
really good effort on the last day.”
Kyle Mayers’ positive play in getting to 55 had ideally complemented the
opener’s more measured pace in the afternoon session.
After Kemar Roach polished off the Sri Lankan first innings at 258 by
taking the last two wickets in the space of three deliveries in the fourth
over of the morning, West Indies went in pursuit of quick runs to consolidate
their position.
They lost John Campbell early, the left-handed opener again dismissed to a
catch by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella off Lakmal.
New batsman Jermaine Blackwood lived a charmed life but his luck eventually
ran out with his score on 18, Chameera, the third pacer in the Sri Lankan
bowling attack, inducing an edge for Dickwella to take his seventh catch of
the match.
It all went wrong for Sri Lanka at the start of the day when Pathum
Nissanka could only add two more runs to his overnight 49 before top-edging
an attempted pull off Roach for substitute fielder Hayden Walsh Jr to take
his second catch of the innings at deep square-leg.
Roach then wrapped up the innings by having last man Fernando caught behind
to finish with figures of three for 58.