Port of Spain, Trinidad: The West Indies were closing in on victory after just three days of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Friday, taking a 360-run lead with six second innings wickets still in hand.
After declaring their first innings on 414-8 thanks to a painstaking 125 not out from wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, West Indies skittled Sri Lanka out for 185 and batted again rather than enforce the follow-on, reaching 131-4 by the close, with Kieran Powell hitting 64 not out off 80 balls and accompanied by Dowrich.
With rain forecast in Trinidad, a West Indies declaration appears imminent to try to force an innings victory.
Sri Lanka’s batsmen struggled against the lively West Indies seam attack, losing two wickets before lunch and then seeing the rest of the batting blown away by Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel and Miguel Cummins. Dinesh Chandimal top-scored with 44 as Sri Lanka’s batsmen threw their wickets away with poorly executed shots. The tourists lost their last six wickets for 64 runs.
