Windies in driving seat after Sri Lanka fold up for 185

An impressive performance by the West Indian bowlers followed up by a counter attacking half century from Kieran Powell helped West Indies end day three in the driving seat.

Sri Lanka were precariously placed at 31/3 at the start of day 3 and things only got worse when Roshen Silva – who had a better average than Sir Don Bradman before the start of this Test – was cleaned up by a lethal in-ducker from Kemar Roach. Sri Lanka had slid to 43/4 by then before the ever flamboyant Niroshan Dickwella joined his skipper who had been watching batsmen come and go since last evening.

Dickwella started off with a couple eye catching boundaries though he went into his shell soon afterwards. Dinesh Chandimal at the other end played with controlled aggression. He was solid in defence and was very quick to pounce on anything lose from the West Indian bowlers.

Read: Dowrich and fast bowlers put the Windies ahead

Chandimal(44) fell on the stroke of lunch to a stroke he wouldn’t wanna repeat again. It was a loosener from Gabriel in a short burst before the break and Chandimal smashed it into the hands of the point fielder, Roston Chase.

Dickwella and Dilruwan Perera seemed to have got things under control after the break, before Dickwella was involved in a careless piece of cricket which led to his dismissal for 31. He hit the ball towards mid-on and set off for a single expecting a throw to the keepers end ; only to see Kraig Brathwaite throwing down the stumps at the bowlers end to catch him short. Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals from there on to be bowled out for 185 runs. The last six wickets fell for just 64 runs which left Sri Lanka trailing West Indies by 229 runs.

Miguel Cummins peppered the Sri Lankan tail successfully with the short ball. He first picked up Rangana Herath, then Suranga Lakmal and finally Lahiru Kumara to end up with 3/39 while Gabriel and Roach picked up two wickets apiece. West Indies decided against enforcing the follow-on on a two paced pitch which continued to trouble the batsmen as the game progressed.

Read: Sri Lanka rue missed chances; Lahiru Kumara bowls heart out

West Indies started their second innings with a lot of positive energy. Devon Smith(20) got off to a brisk start before he was cleaned up off a no ball delivered by Suranga Lakmal. His luck ran out soon after when he dragged one on to his stumps and Kraig Brathwaite soon joined him in the dressing room when he edged one behind off Lahiru Kumara.

Kumara dismissed Shai Hope thanks to a brilliant grab in the slips by Kusal Mendis but things were going downhill fast for Sri Lanka with Kieran Powell looking in ominous touch. He struck his second six down the ground off Dilruwan Perera to reach his half century off just 59 deliveries, as the West Indian lead grew past the 300 runs mark.

West Indies – 414/8 dec. (154 overs) S Dowrich 125*, L Kumara 4/95

Sri Lanka – 185 all-out ( 55.4 overs) Dinesh Chandimal 44, Niroshan Dickwella 31, Kemar Roach 2/34, Shannon Gabriel 2/48, Miguel Cummins 3/39

West Indies – 131/4 (40 overs) Kieran Powell 64*, Lahiru Kumara 2/28