North Sound (Antingua), July 7: Justin Greaves’ dogged innings of 180 from 325 balls against Sri Lanka on Monday played West Indies into a strong position to claim its first Test series victory in four years.
Greaves was the last batter out when West Indies was dismissed for 499 on Day 4 of the second Test in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings of 549-9, reducing the deficit to only 50 runs.
Sri Lanka lost first-innings century-maker Lahiru Udara to a four-ball duck and Nishan Fernando for 20 before reaching 92-2 at stumps, increasing its overall lead to 142 with a day remaining.
Dinesh Chandimal was 40 and Kamindu Mendis was 30 not out in a partnership worth 60 runs by close of play.
Sri Lanka scored at more than four runs an over through the last 22 overs of the day and would have to continue at that rate to have any chance of playing itself into a winning position. It can only do so only by putting up a defendable total and then bowling out West Indies on a pitch which might deteriorate late on the final day.
West Indies won the opening match in the two-Test series by an innings and 217 runs and needs only a draw to claim its first series win in the World Test Championship since beating Bangladesh in the Caribbean in 2022.
On a pitch on which only 21 wickets fell on the first four days and 1,140 runs were scored, the odds are in favour of the home team. (AP)
