West Indies reach 168/4 after lunch on Day Three

Monday, 6 July 2026 02:36 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka take the field to defend the strong 549/9 first innings score

Second Test in Antigua

Sonal Dinusha and Kusal Mendis shared a 143-run stand

Antigua: West Indies were battling towards respectability at 168 for 4 after lunch on the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka.

Shai Hope (10*) and Justin Greaves (13*) were at the crease looking to rebuild the innings after three wickets fell during the day.

Prabath Jayasuriya (2/38) claimed two wickets either side of lunch, while Asitha Fernando took the only wicket of the morning session to improve his match figures to 2 for 48. Jayasuriya dismissed Kavem Hodge for 31 and Amir Jangoo for 9.

Resuming on 58 for 1, the hosts made steady progress through an 89-run second-wicket stand between John Campbell and Hodge.

The pair negotiated the opening hour with disciplined batting before Sri Lanka claimed the only wicket of the morning session shortly before lunch. Campbell top-scored with a patient 72 before becoming Fernando's second wicket of the innings.

Sri Lanka had declared on 549 for 9 on the second day, built around Lahiru Udara's superb 188. Sonal Dinusha made 92, Kamindu Mendis scored 84 and Kusal Mendis contributed 69, while Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph claimed two wickets each for the West Indies.

An early wicket at the start of the second day's play would have given West Indies an opportunity to break into Sri Lanka's lower order. However, Dinusha made his intentions clear by dispatching the third ball of the day to the boundary. Kusal also got going at the other end, driving Alzarri Joseph to the fence before taking two more boundaries off the same bowler.

Dinusha welcomed Shamar Joseph into the attack with another boundary, but Kusal caused the greater damage, smashing the paceman for a six and a four to keep Sri Lanka firmly in control. West Indies were also let down in the field when John Campbell dropped a straightforward chance that would have dismissed Kusal on 23.

The pair then negotiated a testing period cautiously before accelerating in the second session. A flurry of boundaries brought up their respective half-centuries, with Kusal reaching the milestone with a six before taking another maximum off Roston Chase. Against the run of play, West Indies finally made the breakthrough after the drinks interval when Kusal chopped onto his stumps for 69 off 115 balls, including eight fours and three sixes.

Milan Rathnayake offered stubborn resistance after Kusal's dismissal as Sri Lanka moved past the 500-run mark. Dinusha, who struck consecutive boundaries to move into the 90s, narrowly missed out on a century when he was dismissed for 92 off 166 balls, with 12 fours, after edging a leading catch. Sri Lanka added useful runs after tea before eventually declaring on 549 for 9.

Given 24 overs to bowl before stumps on the second day, Sri Lanka made an early breakthrough when Fernando had Brandon King caught at second slip. However, West Indies held firm thereafter, with Campbell remaining unbeaten on 31 from 77 balls while Hodge survived two dropped chances to finish the day unbeaten on 6 from 41 deliveries.