Windies extend lead

West Indies extended their lead over Sri Lanka in the second Test to 269, reaching 173 for 3 at tea on the fourth day, earlier this morning.  

Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who scored a century in the first innings, was unbeaten on 60, having put together a partnership of 33 with Jason Holder.

Holder was 18 not out, his runs coming off just 21 balls.  

Kyle Mayers also struck a half-century, hitting eight boundaries in an innings of 55 that came in just 76 deliveries, associating in a partnership of 82 with Brathwaite.

Mayers was the only wicket to fall in the post-lunch session, when he was given out leg before wicket, with his review confirming the on-field decision.

Sloppy cricket from Sri Lanka had allowed the West Indies to build on a 96-run first-innings lead, with the visitors were bowled out for 258 earlier in the day.

Kemar Roach polished off the Sri Lankan first innings by taking the last two wickets in the space of three deliveries in the fourth over of the morning.
West Indies then went in pursuit of quick runs to consolidate their position and reached 69 for two.

They lost John Campbell early, the left-handed opener again dismissed to a catch by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella off seamer Suranga Lakmal.

New batsman Jermaine Blackwood lived a charmed life immediately on his arrival at the crease, surviving a confident leg-before appeal to Lakmal and then being badly dropped at first slip by Lahiru Thirimanne off the other opening bowler, Vishwa Fernando.

His luck eventually ran out with his score on 18, Dushmantha Chameera, the third pacer in the Sri Lankan bowling attack, inducing an edge for Dickwella to take his seventh catch of the innings.

Blackwood was promoted up the batting order as regular number three Nkrumah Bonner continues to be hampered by whiplash-like symptoms sustained while fielding on the second day of the match.

Sri Lanka’s efforts to limit West Indies’ progress have been hampered by what appears to be a serious leg injury to Lasith Embuldenya, the left-arm spinner being taken off the field on a stretcher when an attempted sliding save in the outfield went badly wrong.

Their day had started badly 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 the best figures of three for 58.

 (with agency inputs)