West Indies strike at the stroke of lunch to put Sri Lanka on the backfoot in first Test

Sudhir Gupta 21:27 08/06/2018
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  • Dinesh Chandimal was dismissed by Shannon Gabriel.

    Captain Dinesh Chandimal was dismissed in the final over before lunch as Sri Lanka found themselves in trouble at 125-5 against the West Indies on the third day of the first Test at Port of Spain on Friday.

    The West Indies had declared their first innings on 414-8 and had picked up three early wickets by stumps on Day Two.

    By lunch on Day Three, the Windies strengthened their grip on the match with Sri Lanka 89 runs away from their first target of 214 to avoid the follow-on. Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella (25 not out) was batting when lunch was taken.

    Captain Chandimal took it upon himself to get the scoreboard moving as he scored a bulk of the 78-run stand with Dickwella.

    Chandimal and Dickwella played cautiously to see off pacers Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel on a pitch where fast bowlers continued to get assistance.

    Even back-up seamers Jason Holder and Miguel Cummins failed to find the breakthrough as the Sri Lankan duo rebuilt the innings from 43-4.

    Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo too was unable to get the wicket Holder needed. So the skipper went back to the quickest bowler in the match – Gabriel – for the last over before the lunch interval and it worked like a charm.

    Chandimal, well set on 44, went after a wide delivery and his cut shot went to Roston Chase at point.

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