SOUND NORTH, Antigua, CMC – Captain Kraigg Brathwaite was on the threshold of a ninth hundred Test but his first in nearly three years, as he battled an otherwise inconsistent West Indies batting effort on the opening day of the second decisive Test against Sri Lanka here yesterday .
The 28-year-old ended unbeaten on 99, a determined inning that saw him become the 16th West Indies batsman to pass 4 000 runs, and which grounded the home team’s 287 for seven after being sent off in at Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium.
Kyle Mayers, left, hit 49 as Cornish’s Rahkeem struck a daring 43 and Jason Holder, 30, but West Indies did not settle and consistently lost wickets throughout the day.
In fact, they looked at risk of cheap relegation in the final session when they dropped to 222 at seven just over an hour after tea but Brathwaite and Cornwall combined in an excellent eighth wicket 65-wicket stand to deny anything to The Sri Lankans have further success.
Brathwaite, dropped at 37 on the third slip by Oshada Fernando off left arm controller Vishwa Fernando, about 40 minutes after lunch, has so far faced 239 balls in shadow over 6-½ hours in the crease and hit 11 four.
Meanwhile, Cornwall has crunched a half-dozen fours and a six in a 53-ball knockoff that is in sight of his second Test half-century career.
“For me, I wanted to play the ball as late as possible,” said Brathwaite following the day’s play.
“Sri Lanka is clearly a disciplined bowling unit so for me, it was just an exchange for the bad balls.
“The ball didn’t spin much so it was a discipline to let the ball come to me, and that worked for me.”
Unreasonable fast bowler Suranga Lakmal, who finished the day with three for 53, gave Sri Lanka the early initiative when left-hand opener John Campbell (5) and Nkrumah Bonner (0) moved in consecutive bouts, to lower the West Indies to 15 for two inside the first 45 minutes.
Campbell grabbed a defensive prod and was caught at the wicket seventh over morning while Bonner, coming off a hundred in the last Test, played back and inbound the sixth ball he faced on his sticks.
Brathwaite then inspired the first of three half-century standings, adding 71 with Mayers for the third wicket to see West Indies for lunch at 86 for two.
Mayers, who made 45 and 52 in the last Test, made an uncertain start against the Sri Lankan sailors and was dropped at 12 by Pathum Nissanka on the third slip off Lakmal on a first-hour stroke.
He survived and launched a counter attack with eight fours off 61 deliveries to be unbeaten at 49 at lunchtime, but only three more balls continued following the restart before driving on a full delivery from Vishwa and giving up his second keeper Niroshan Dickwella kicked four catches.
Jermaine Blackwood hit two fours four and six in 18 off 29 balls and had added 34 for the fourth wicket by edging Lakmal behind on a drinks break hit, leaving the home team at 120 for four.
In need of partnership, the Windies found one at Brathwaite and Holder who wore 51 for the fifth wicket to slow Sri Lanka’s progress through the middle order.
Holder’s class exuded in a hill lasting 34 balls in nearly an hour, most of his five fours coming in beautifully timed strokes down the ground.
However, he was a victim because of his growing confidence with tea approaching, driving in the first ball of the opening period of spinner Dhananjaya De Silva and edging a simple catch to Lahiru Thirimanne on the first slip.
There was drama in the third over before the break when freshman batsman Joshua Da Silva missed a sweep in the second ball he faced and was awarded to Dhananjaya in what appeared to be a dumb lbw decision. Once the decision was reviewed, however, DRS showed the ball turning massively to miss its leg, much to the surprise of the Sri Lankan team and Da Silva himself, who nearly left the field.
Yet to score in a tea with Brathwaite after 61, Da Silva failed to make the most of the exit and was caught behind for speedy regulator Dushmantha Chameera, wrapping in wide delivery, half an hour after the break.
A partnership blossomed between Brathwaite and budding Alzarri Joseph (29), the pair posting 37 for the seventh wicket to keep Sri Lanka’s wicket for almost the rest of the first hour. Joseph drove with authority to net three fours and a six off 41 balls before being hit in front by a straight single by left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya to mark the drinks break.
Any hopes that entertained Sri Lanka from a fast end to the pubs were shattered, however, as Brathwaite and Cornwall challenged the second new ball to help the West Indies come out strong.