Jason Holder's 4-21 ripped apart the Lankan top order
West Indies captain Jason Holder took four wickets under lights on day three of the first Day-Night Test in the Caribbean as Sri Lanka stumbled to 81-5 chasing 144 for a series-levelling win in the third Test.
Holder had figures of 4-21 when rain stopped play on Monday evening at Kensington Oval and the local talisman went a long way in rescuing the hosts after they had capitulated in their second innings to be all out for 93 in just 31.2 overs, setting the visitors a 144-run target for victory. (Also Read: Rest has benefitted Virat Kohli ahead of England Tour: Ravi Shastri to IndiaTV)
Sri Lanka captain Suranga Lakmal (3-25) and Lahiru Kumara (3-20) took three wickets each as the Windies squandered their opportunity to bat the tourists out of the game. At one stage the hosts fell to 14-5 after seven overs, before Holder and wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich began the fight back with a 27-run partnership.
Kemar Roach top scored with some composed batting late in the innings with 23 not out. (Also Read: Arjun Tendulkar trains with Team India in England, gets tips from coach Ravi Shastri; See pics)
While on the field, Sri Lanka's opening batsman Kusal Perera suffered what appeared to be a serious injury when he crashed headfirst into advertising signage on the boundary whilst attempting a catch at long on off Shannon Gabriel. An ambulance was required to enter the ground which took Perera to a local hospital for scans. The Sri Lankan team management later said that Perera was cleared of any serious injury concerns though doubts remain over his availability to bat in the chase if required.
With their opener at the hospital, Sri Lanka's second innings continued to go awry with Mahela Udawatte caught lbw by Roach for no score before Holder wrestled momentum firmly in the hosts' favour by removing Danushka Gunathilaka (21), Dhananjaya de Silva (17) and Roshen Silva for one.
With rain clouds closing in, Holder took the 20th wicket of the day — the most wickets to fall in a test in the Caribbean, surpassing the 18 wickets that fell at the same venue against England in 2015 — by castling Niroshan Dickwella for six.
At stumps, Kusal Mendis was unbeaten on 25 with all-rounder Dilruwan Perera.
Earlier, Sri Lanka added 73 runs to their overnight first innings score of 81-5 with Dickwella top scoring with 42. Holder led the bowling attack with 4-19. Sri Lanka is playing without suspended captain Dinesh Chandimal, who lost his appeal over a ball-tampering charge during the drawn second test in St. Lucia.
The historic first Day-Night Test in the West Indies is the third and final one in the series which West Indies leads 1-0. The home side won the first test by 226 runs in Port of Spain.
(With AP inputs)
