Thumping win for Windies despite Mendis ton

Kusal Mendis registered his 5th Test ton, but West Indies needed just a little over a session to dismiss Sri Lanka and register a 226-run win in the 1st Test at Port-of-Spain. The visitors came into the day needing 277 to win with 7 wickets in hand.

Sri Lanka lost 4 wickets in the 1st session of the 5th day, including 2 in the final over before lunch, that of Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella, leaving the tail the near-impossible task of batting through two sessions. As expected, they succumbed to the pressure, as the Windies needed just 20 deliveries in the post-lunch session to skittle the tail.

Mendis nears century as Sri Lanka battle to save 1st Test

Sri Lanka got off to a bright start as Mendis, who came in on the overnight score of 94*, brought up his 5th Test century with a flick off his pads in the 4th over of the day. Of Mendis’ 4 previous centuries, he had managed to past the 150-run mark on 3 occasions. However, he did not manage to kick on this time around as Shannon Gabriel got one to take off from a good length outside the off-stump and take a touch of the batsman’s gloves before being collected neatly by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich.

Mendis’ century turned out to be the only bright spark of what was a dismal batting performance for the Lankans, who came into the day harbouring some hopes of going for the mammoth target of 453 set by the hosts.

Skipper Dinesh Chandimal, who had retired hurt last evening after being taken ill, came to the crease to join night-watchman Lahiru Gamage who had managed to survive at the crease despite taking a few blows to the body.

The pair were at the crease for close to 10 overs when Gamage was struck on the pads by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and given out LBW. The batsman decided to review after much thought, however, there was no reprieve for Gamage as replays showed the ball smashing into the stumps.

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Chandimal and Dickwella didn’t last long in the middle as Bishoo and Roston Chase built the pressure with a couple of back-to-back maidens. With the runs drying up, Chandimal attempted to take the aerial route against Chase but miscued one to mid-on where Kraigg Braithwaite took a good catch.

Sri Lanka’s chances of survival were all but gone when Niroshan Dickwella was trapped in front by Chase in the same over as umpires called lunch.

Dilruwan Perera and Rangana Herath walked out after the break, perhaps in the hope that they may be able to delay the inevitable but, like the house of straw that could not withstand the ‘big bad wolf’ Sri Lanka’s tail showed little fight as Bishoo and Chase combined once again to send the Lankans packing.

Incidentally this is the West Indies’ biggest win (by runs) at the Queen’s Park Oval.

The 2nd of the 3 Tests is set to begin on the 14th of June at Gros Islet.