That is it from this game! West Indies won the T20I series and the ODI series. Sri Lanka fought hard throughout the tour but were unable to win any of the series. They though ensured that they did not lose the Test series and managed to draw the 2-match Test series, 0-0. West Indies now await for the announcement for their next series. Sri Lanka head home and welcome Bangladesh for a 2-Test series starting on 21st April. We hope to see you for that one. Till then goodbye and take care!
For his tireless and brilliant bowling performance, Suranga Lakmal is named the Player of the Series. Lakmal says he is really happy. Tells he has been working hard and tells he bowled to try and win the game for his side. Lakmal says that intially the wicket helped him in the first Test but the second Test it was not very helpful. Tells he just tried and bowls in the right areas.
West Indies skipper, Kraigg Brathwaite is also named the Man of the Match for his brilliant performance in both the innings with the bat. Brathwaite says that it is very pleasing as he says he wanted to lead the team from the front. Brathwaite says that the main thing for him was to keep it simple. Tells he had a solid plan and bat to his best. Brathwaite says that he could change his approach at times and tells he is very confident that he can score at whatever rate at any time. Brathwaite says he is happy as it was a good pitch and the bowlers worked hard. Tells he was happy with the effort of the team and batting wise he says they are batting a lot of overs and that he thinks is a positive. Tells the ball did not spin at all. Credits the bowlers and says they need to go from strength to strength. Brathwaite says it is all about discipline and says they are looking to carry the belief into the next series. Kraigg feels they are heading in the right direction.
Sri Lanka skipper, Dimuth Karunaratne, tells that it was not easy to take wickets in this wicket. Adds there was something in the first two days for the bowlers but nothing after it. Credits Lakmal for the job they did. Adds Chameera and Vishwa worked hard too. Dimuth says they need to improve their batting and need to build partnerships moving forward. Karunaratne tells that the fast bowlers did well. Tells they lost one bowler in the second innings but credits Dhananjaya on how he bowled. Says Pathum Nissanka played like he has played 50 Tests and says that the future looks bright. Karunaratne says they want to pick wickets regularly. Adds they were taking wickets in patches and they need to improve that. Adds patience is the key in Test cricket and they need to work on that too be it with bat or ball. Tells West Indies is a very good side and wishes them good luck for the next series.
On a pitch where nothing was happening for the bowlers, getting 10 wickets in the final session was always going to be a tough task. They were unable to chip in with wickets even though they toiled hard. To make matters worse, Shannon Gabriel did his hammy and the hosts had to make do without him in the final day.
Needing 377 to win, a win was always unlikely but to save the Test, Sri Lanka needed their skipper to find form and bat for a long period. That is what happened. Thirimanne and Karunaratne stitched a patient 101-run stand with the skipper regaining his form and scoring a valuable 75. Oshada continued his form, where Thirimanne left off and scored his second fifty of the series. Oshada Fernando along with Chandimal made sure there was no further damage and ensured that Sri Lanka draw the series.
Sri Lanka had a tough time on the field in the third innings of this game. First the pitch was docile and timid and to add to that they lost Embuldeniya to what looked like a serious injury and found themselves a bowler short. Lakmal and Chameera were the only two bowlers to get the wickets. Lakmal was the star for Sri Lanka in this series as his tireless work saw him finish the series as the highest wicket-taker.
The pitch got to bat better as the game went on. West Indies had a healthy lead of 96 and built on it. Another classy knock from Brathwaite along with well-paced fifties from Mayers and Holders ensured that the hosts add a further 280 and declare giving Sri Lanka a target of 377.
It was a collective bowling display in the first innings from the hosts. Roach was the pick of the lot, picking up 3 wickets. Alzarri Jospeh and Holder grabbed two each while Mayers and Blackwood got one apiece. Cornwall bowled well but was unable to get any wicket but overall it was a very good bowling display on a pitch that was very flat.
In response, Sri Lanka struggled. A lot of their players got starts but were unable to convert them into a telling knock. Thirimanne continued his form and scored a fifty. Nissanka followed his debut ton with another impressive fifty. But the failure of the batters to convert the starts saw the tourists bundle out for 258.
Once again it was Lakmal in the first innings who did the majority of the damage with the ball. He was tireless and persistent throughout. Chameera too was impressive and managed to enhance his reputation. The duo scalped 7 wickets amongst themselves with 4 of those going Lakmal's way.
So a quick recap of this Test. Sri Lanka won the toss and put the hosts into bat. West Indies were in a state of bother as they were struggling at 222/7 as the batters were unable to stick around with skipper, Brathwaite. The skipper though found an able partner in Cornwall as the pair stitched a valuable 103-run stand with Brathwaite getting his maiden Test ton as a skipper and his first in almost 3 years. That helped the hosts reach 354.
So the inevitable has finally happened. Both sides have called truce as this game was heading for a draw. Both sides would feel they had a chance to win the Test series but a draw seems to be a fair result as both cut out each other's strength throughout the series.
In over# 1
0
0
1
0
0
2
Rahkeem Cornwall 53/0(26.4)
78.6
.
On off, Chandimal keeps it out.
78.5
.
Loopy delivery on off, Chandimal defends it off the back foot.
78.4
1
Flighted delivery on the pads, Fernando flicks it through square leg for a single.
78.3
.
Tossed up delivery on middle, Fernando blocks it back towards the bowler.
78.2
.
Loopy delivery on middle, Fernando defends it to short leg.
78.1
2
Floated delivery on middle, Fernando flicks it towards fine leg. The fielder chases it and does well to stop it. Two runs taken.