Patient centuries from Justin Greaves and Shai Hope steered West Indies towards safety on the fourth day of the second and final Test against Sri Lanka at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Monday.
Their fifth-wicket stand stretched to 242 before Hope fell for 112 shortly before lunch. Greaves continued deep into the afternoon, eventually last out for 180 just after tea, as the hosts finished within 50 runs of Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 549-9 declared.
Hope’s century, his fifth in Tests and third in under a year, came first. Greaves followed a couple of overs later with his third Test hundred, having also scored a maiden century against Bangladesh at the same venue in 2024 and a match-saving double century in New Zealand seven months ago.
Hope’s dismissal was freakish, losing his footing while padding away a delivery from Sonal Dinusha and being stumped by Kusal Mendis with the ball ricocheting off his pads onto the stumps. He faced 243 balls and struck ten fours in an innings lasting just over six hours.
Asitha Fernando finished with 5-130 from 40 overs, removing Roston Chase, Anderson Phillip and Alzarri Joseph. Sri Lanka’s spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who took 3-131, praised Fernando’s efforts in tough bowling conditions.
Sri Lanka lost both openers cheaply in their second innings before Dinesh Chandimal (40*) and Kamindu Mendis (30*) saw out the day, closing on 92-2, an overall lead of 142 ahead of the final day.
– AFP
Photo: Craig Butland/MB Media/Getty Images
