Fri, Jun 26, ’26
by KRISSANIA YOUNG
Windies trail by 37 runs with sightings of variable bounce
Stumps, Day 2: West Indies 271 for 5 (Jangoo 78*, Chase 42*; Fernando 2-25) trail Sri Lanka 308 all out (de Silva 120, Chandimal 54; Greaves 3-39) by 37 runs
The West Indies have positioned themselves to build a first innings lead after ending Day 2 of the first Test trailing Sri Lanka by just 37 runs with five wickets in hand.
A century stand between Amir Jangoo and captain Roston Chase lifted the Caribbean side from 168 for 5 to 271 without further loss at stumps, responding to 308 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda.
If Thursday’s opening day was marred by inconsistency from the West Indies fast bowlers, then Day 2 was a highlight reel of impatience from the Caribbean batters, with Jangoo as the outlier.
The left-hander was circumspect on his way to a maiden Test match fifty, which he fashioned into an unbeaten 78 at stumps. He first shared in a 52-run stand for the fourth wicket with Joshua Da Silva before partnering with Chase – whose 42 not out is his highest score in 16 innings – for a tide-turning unbroken 103-run stay.
The pair batted the entirety of the final session, negotiating variable bounce and defying a determined and largely disciplined Sri Lankan attack, earning the right to return to the crease on Day 3.
Sri Lanka’s bowling display, which has so far conceded at 3.23 runs per over, was especially commendable given that they were without Lahiru Kumara, who pulled up, feeling his hamstring, while running in to deliver the day’s third over.
John Campbell (39), Brandon King (31) and Joshua Da Silva (20) all got starts earlier in the day but failed to capitalize. Campbell and King had gotten through the first hour of play comfortably unscathed.
The pair put on 58 runs for the first wicket, their fourth half-century partnership in six innings. However, a lapse in judgement saw King driving Milan Rathnayaka straight to short cover to be caught.
Kavem Hodge joined Campbell, and they paired to see the Windies through to lunch at 89 for one. They would eventually fall quickly after the resumption in a post-lunch session in which the visitors claimed 4 for 79, swinging the contest firmly into their favour.
The first to go was Campbell, and his demise was a result of a perplexing decision to take on spinner Sonal Dinusha, only to hole out at long-on.
Hodge followed Campbell back to the pavilion in the next over – which was the third after the break – after he played Milan Rathnayaka on for 16, with Windies 102 for three.
The Jangoo/Joshua Da Silva partnership ended when Asitha Fernando enticed Da Silva, like King, into playing away from his body, driving to the cover fielder.
Fernando also accounted for Justin Greaves (3) on the stroke of tea, thanks to a brilliant take from wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis after Greaves’ late decision to leave only resulted in the ball flying off the face of the bat.
Mendis snatched a one-handed beauty, diving at full stretch low to his right to leave Windies at 168 for five.