GROS-ISLET, Saint Lucia: Kraigg Brathwaite’s defiance and more inclement weather ensured a draw on the final day of the second Test between the West Indies and Sri Lanka at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia.
On a day when their captain, Dinesh Chandimal, who has been charged by umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould with ball tampering on the second day of the match, is likely to know his fate, the tourists stayed focused on events on the field in reducing the home side to 64-4 in early afternoon after setting the West Indies an unlikely victory target of 296.
However Brathwaite’s obdurate, unbeaten 59, with support from Shai Hope and captain Jason Holder ensured that the showers which came in the final session, coupled with deteriorating light, eliminated the Sri Lankans’ chances of levelling the series.
Shannon Gabriel took the last two wickets of the Sri Lankan second innings within minutes of the start of play to finish with the outstanding innings analysis of 8-62 and match figures of 13-121, the third-best by a West Indian in Tests and the best-ever by a Caribbean bowler in home conditions.
When he wrapped up the Sri Lankan innings for 342 by bowling Akila Dananjaya, Gabriel also reached the landmark of 100 Test wickets.
Kasun Rajitha, the debutant fast-medium bowler who claimed three wickets in the first innings, rocked the West Indies with the wickets of Devon Smith and Kieran Powell within the space of three deliveries at the start of the final innings of the match.
Senior seamer Suranga Lakmal accounted for Roston Chase and Hope but time ran out on the striving Sri Lankans and they were left frustrated by the weather, which once again closed in during the final session and leaves them trailing in the series ahead of the final Test in Barbados, beginning on Saturday.
It will an historic occasion at Kensington Oval as the first day/night Test to be played in the Caribbean and will also be starting on the 90th anniversary of the West Indies’ first day of Test cricket against England at Lord’s in London on June 23, 1928.
Yet it is quite possible that Chandimal will only be a spectator to all that history if he is found guilty of ball tampering.
While he has challenged the charge, match referee Javagal Srinath will be required to adjudicate in a hearing immediately upon the conclusion of the match to make a final determination on the Sri Lankan’s skipper’s fate.
Should he be found guilty though, Chandimal faces a one-Test suspension which will rule him out of the last match of the series.
While the International Cricket Council’s cricket committee has recommended an increase to the penalty for ball tampering to suspension for four Tests or eight One-Day Internationals, that has yet to be ratified by the ICC.
TOSS: SRI LANKA
SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS 253
WEST INDIES 1ST INNINGS 300
SRI LANKA 2ND INNINGS (overnight 334-8)
K Perera c Dowrich b Gabriel 20
Udawatte c Bishoo b Roach 19
Rajitha lbw Gabriel 0
de Silva c Smith b Gabriel 3
Mendis b Gabriel 87
Chandimal c Dowrich b Roach 39
Silva c Dowrich b Gabriel 48
Dickwella c Powell b Gabriel 62
Dananjaya b Gabriel 23
Lakmal lbw Gabriel 7
Kumara not out 0
Extras (B-12, LB-8, NB-11, W-3) 34
Total (91.4 overs, all out) 342
Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-34, 3-44, 4-48, 5-165, 6-199, 7-298, 8-307, 9-334, 10-342.
BOWLING: K. Roach 21-3-78-2 (2nb), S. Gabriel 20.4-6-62-8 (4nb), J. Holder 15-5-38-0 (2nb, 3w), M. Cummins 13-1-44-0 (3nb), D. Bishoo 11-0-58-0, R. Chase 10-1-38-0, K. Brathwaite 1-0-4-0.
WEST INDIES 2ND INNINGS
Brathwaite not out 59
Smith c de Silva b Rajitha 1
Powell c Udawatte b Rajitha 2
Hope b Lakmal 39
Chase b Lakmal 13
Dowrich c de Silva b Dananjaya 8
Holder not out 15
Extras (B-10) 10
Total (60.3 overs, 5 wkts) 147
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-8, 3-55, 4-64, 5-117.
BOWLING: S. Lakmal 17.3-3-48-2, K. Rajitha 13-3-23-2, L. Kumara 10-3-28-0, A. Dananjaya 19-7-33-1, D. De Silva 1-0-5-0.
Match officials: Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG), Aleem Dar (PAK); Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND).
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