NORTH STAKE, Antigua, GMC – Ten wickets proved too high for West Indies on a bleak strip as captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando hit half centuries to win Sri Lanka’s draw on the final day of this second Test this day Friday.
Starting the day demanding a huge effort to win the title and claim the series, West Indies only managed two wickets, with Sri Lanka reaching 193 before the two captains shook hands on the stalemate 20 minutes before the closing at Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium.
Karunaratne, left, used the occasion to end his woeful run in the series and top score with a polished 75 while Oshada Fernando carved out a 66-goal unbeaten opener and left-back Lahiru Thirimanne, 39.
A win in the West Indies was always in doubt after a 35 minute delay was initially forced and with Karunaratne and Tirimanne surviving the first innings to reach lunch at 93 without a loss, the odds of any dramatic win fell significantly.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite said afterwards that they were always aware of the challenge ahead on a good batting ground but praised his young side for their disciplined approach.
“Obviously it was a good pitch. In both Test matches the bowlers worked very hard and what I was proud of is that none of the men ever gave up, ”Brathwaite noted.
“Even down to Alzarri’s (Joseph) last spell [today], he was still putting effort into short balls in so I’m very happy with the team effort.
“And batting wise, we continued to bat a number of batches – 90 plus balls which are positive for us.
“And yes, we would have liked to have won but I was very happy with the attitude and discipline we had. The pitch was good throughout; it didn’t spin at all but I was very happy with the effort of the fast bowlers. ”
Karunaratne said that the flat nature of wickets in both Tests meant that absolute results were always going to be difficult.
“If you take the wickets [into consideration], taking wickets is not easy, ”he admitted.
“In the first two days there was something for the bowlers but after that it was getting flatter and flatter.
“I think both teams have done really well, both teams have done a lot of hard work. Overall, I’m very happy with the performance. “
With only 16 runs in his previous three goals in the series, Karunaratne seized the opportunity to find his touch, hitting nine fours off 176 balls in just over four hours to solidify his 25th half-century Test .
He lasted 101 for the first wicket with Tirimanne who faced 114 balls in 2-¾ hours and hit five fours before crashing in the fifth over after lunch, caught on the first slip by Cornish Rahkeem off fast bowler Joseph.
Thirimanne was one of two wickets to fall in the session as Karunaratne followed about 20 minutes before tea, lbw to middle manager Kyle Mayers at 146 for two after posting another 45 with Fernando.
With Sri Lanka on 146 for two at tea, it meant that West Indies needed a burst of wickets on the restart to push for victory but that success never came.
Instead, Oshada struck eight fours off 119 deliveries in just under 2-¾ hours to net his third Test of half a century as he rallied the hosts in a third consecutive 47 wicket wicket stand with the veteran Dinesh Chandimal who was unbeaten at 10 when the match ended.
