admin West Indies drew the second cricket Test with Sri Lanka on Tuesday to claim its first series victory in three years in the red ball format, showing encouraging fortitude with the bat only 12 months after being bowled out for 27 by Australia.
Openers John Campbell and Brandon King made half centuries and defied the Sri Lanka bowlers for 40 overs to secure the draw on a showery final day at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
Sri Lanka tried to take the initiative and save the series when it declared its second innings at 251-9 three overs after the lunch, setting West Indies 302 to win off 60 overs.
West Indies didn’t take the bait and, bent on securing its first win in 11 series since 2023, ground its way to 109-0 before the captains shook hands and the match was drawn. Campbell and King were both 51 not out and West Indies took the series 1-0.
West Indies won the first Test by an innings and 217 runs. Amir Jangoo made 233 and captain Roston Chase 194 in a record 401-run partnership which carried the West Indies to 626-9 in its only innings in the series opener. Sri Lanka was bowled out for 308 and 101 as veteran Kemar Roach claimed his 300th Test wicket.
Dhananjaya de Silva (second left) of Sri Lanka congratulate Brandon King (left) and John Campbell (right) of West Indies at the end of the fifth day of the second and final cricket Test match in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda. AFP
Sri Lanka tried to make the play in the second Test, declaring at 549-9 after winning the toss and batting. Lahiru Udara made 188. West Indies saved the match when it made 499 in reply, thanks to Justin Greaves who made 180 and Shai Hopes’ 112.
“There were simple words in the dressing room: stay hungry,” said Greaves, who was voted player of the match and of the series. “Stay in because you don’t know when you’re next run is going to come from. Always try to capitalize when you’re out in the middle.”
Sri Lanka increased its first innings lead of 50 runs to 142 by the end of the fourth day and set out Tuesday to play itself into a position to declare, hoping to tempt the West Indies to chase another Test win. Dinesh Chandimal made 71 and Kamindu Mendis 44 before some swift scoring by Milan Rathanayake hastened the declaration.
Roston Chase (left) of West Indies poses with the winners trophy at the end of the fifth and final day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies at Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda, on Tuesday. AFP
Bowling out West Indies for a second time was always going to be a difficult task on a pitch on which a total of 1,408 runs were scored over five days, a record for a Test between West Indies and Sri Lanka.
“How to take 20 wickets, that’s the only thing in my mind when playing Test cricket,” Sri Lanka captain Chandimal said. “For that we have to have that X-factor, to take wickets at any time.”
Associated Press
