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Sickening West Indies crushed by Sri Lanka again

by Barbados Today
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Sickening!

That’s extremely apt in summing up the West Indies showing in the second and final Test against Sri Lanka as Dimuth Karunaratne’s team swept to a 164-run win on the last day today, and a clean sweep of the series in Galle.

Having watched virtually every single ball in the series at challenging times of the night for Caribbean viewers (midnight until roughly 8 in the morning – Jamaica is one hour behind – as part of a team providing ball-by-ball commentaries for radio stations in the region), I am very hurt with the way Kraigg Brathwaite’s side performed.

To compound my vexation is the thought of the extremely absurd assertion from the West Indies vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood on the eve of the series that “this is a very great squad”.

Blackwood’s comments must go down among the most “infamous” in the history of West Indies cricket.

Prior to the series, this column pointed out that after 11 Tests (five tours) in Sri Lanka, West Indies had lost seven with four drawn. They suffered defeats in three series: 3-0 (2001), 2-0 (2005) and 2-0 (2015).

Now in this series, they lost by 187 runs one hour after lunch on the last day of the first Test and were wiped out shortly before tea today, tumbling for 132 in 56.1 overs, having been set 297 for victory.

Hence, Sri Lanka showed off the Sobers-Tissera trophy.

There were sensational West Indies batting collapses in both innings, co-incidentally starting with the fall of the third wicket. In a first innings 253, which gave them a lead of 49, the last eight wickets crashed for 87 runs in 32.3 overs, and in the second the last eight for 40 in 13 overs.

Hunger, dedication and paying attention to detail were sadly lacking by the West Indies batters. And do you know what? It looked awful to see the facial expressions of Nkrumah Bonner in obvious disgust with his fellow Jamaican Blackwood over two indecisions of offers to run a single while they were in a second wicket partnership today.

Furthermore, West Indies simply could not press home strong positions at the crease and in the field.

Apart from the batting collapses, they became very flat in allowing the Sri Lankan pair of Dhananjaya de Silva and Lasith Embuldeniya to add a record (Sri Lankan) 124 for the ninth wicket in the second innings after they came together with the score 221 for eight – 172 runs ahead on the fourth day.

Dropped on five by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva off left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul with the score 85 for three in the 35th over, the bubbly de Silva went on to score an unbeaten 155 in 377 minutes off 262 balls including 11 fours and two sixes in a total of 345 for nine declared off 121.4 overs.

It was the 30-year-old de Silva’s eighth century in 38 Tests.

Embuldeniya, picked for his left-arm spin bowling and playing in his 13th Test, scored 39 in 164 minutes off 124 balls with two fours and one six.

The partnership deflated the West Indies and it was therefore hardly a surprise that with a negative mind-set, they capitulated.

And to watch the West Indies head coach Phil Simmons on television at the end of play on the fourth day looking and speaking like he needed plenty rest, would not have helped their cause.

In fact Simmons appeared to be confused in assessing the state of the game and the pitch when compared with the Sri Lankan captain.

“A target close to 300 runs is a little bit difficult, especially on a wicket that is tough to bat on,” Simmons said.

Karunaratne remarked: “Just checked with the two batsmen (de Silva and Embuldeniya) and they were saying that it is not too tough to bat. We are on top now and we can put them under pressure.”

So what did Brathwaite say at the end of the match?

“Our batting in the first innings, we were in a good position. I should have got a big hundred. We had a chance (when Sri Lanka’s ninth-wicket stand put on 124 in the second innings). It is not easy starting on this pitch, so it is important to bowl as well as possible. As batters, we need to do it for longer periods. If we can do that, the team can be in a better position.”

I will share Cricinfo’s description of the dismissals of some of the West Indies batters – the first six in the second innings. Please check the use of the term “hard hands” in relation to Roston Chase and Kyle Mayers.

Mendis to Brathwaite, OUT. beauty! Celebrappeal from Mendis, and a swift decision from umpire Palliyaguruge. Brathwaite reviews, though. Brathwaite has a tendency to play very chest on, with his right shoulder coming round, and that means his bat usually comes down at an angle while he defends off the front foot. This spins in from outside off, but not as much as he expects, and it misses his outside edge, hits his front pad – just in line with off stump, umpire’s call on impact – and from there it’s only going on to hit the stumps.

Embuldeniya to Blackwood, OUT. gone last over before lunch! Blackwood went for the drive to that full ball outside off, which was again given some air. The ball turned just enough to take the outside edge to first slip, and he walks away in disappointment. Looked like his bottom hand came off as he had to play a touch away from the body with the ball going away from him, with some gap between bat and pad as well. But anyway, West Indies lose a solid-looking Blackwood, who has thrown away another settled start.

Mendis to Hope, OUT. wow, what a way to go. One of the least threatening balls Mendis has bowled all day. Short, turning into the stumps, and he rocks back and snatches at a pull, only to hit it straight to square leg at stomach height.

Mendis to Chase, OUT. He’s gone first ball! Hard hands leading to his dismissal here. Tossed up, turning in from outside off, dips on Chase a little, and he gets forward and reaches a long way in front of his body to flick. Hits it uppishly, and short leg has somehow held onto it despite it flying straight to him. Falls to his left, and manages to cling onto it, stuck between his arm and thigh I think. Or just grabbed it and smothered it to his body. Terrific work by Oshada Fernando.

Mendis to Mayers, OUT. And it continues to! Three wickets in the over for Mendis. Classic offspinner’s delivery, angling in from around the wicket to draw Mayers forward to defend. Pushes at it with slightly hard hands, and it turns sharply from an off-stump line to take the edge and go to slip at a nice, catchable waist height.

Embuldeniya to Holder, OUT. Turn, bounce and edged to first slip! Pulls his length back to go just on the fuller side of a good length on middle, and gets the ball to turn away from Holder again, as the batter is stuck deep in his crease to try and block. But the ball just bounces just enough – especially considering Holder is a tall man – to take the outside edge, which DDS snaffles easily to his left.

Summarised scores of the two-match Test series between Sri Lanka and West Indies in Galle:

1st Test: November 21-25. Sri Lanka won by 187 runs.

Sri Lanka 386 (133.5 overs) (Dimuth Karunaratne 147 – 433 minutes, 300 balls, 15 fours; Dhananjaya de Silva 61 – 129 minutes, 95 balls, 5 fours; Pathum Nissanka 56 – 206 minutes, 140 balls, 7 fours; Dinesh Chandimal 45, Lasith Embuldeniya 17, Ramesh Mendis 13, Suranga Lakmal 11; Roston Chase 5-83, Jomel Warrican 3-87, Shannon Gabriel 2-69) and 191-4 declared (40.5 overs) (Dimuth Karunaratne 83 – 165 minutes, 104 balls, 9 fours; Angelo Mathews 69 – 138 minutes, 84 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes; Oshada Fernando 14, Dinesh Chandimal 10 not out; Jomel Warrican 2-42, Rahkeem Cornwall 2-60).

West Indies 230 (85.5 overs)(Kyle Mayers 45, Kraigg Brathwaite 41, Rahkeem Cornwall 39, Jason Holder 36, Jermaine Blackwood 20, Joshua Da Silva 15 not out, Shai Hope 10; Praveen Jayawickrama 4-40, Ramesh Mendis 3-75) and 160 (79 overs) (Nkrumah Bonner 68 – 273 minutes, 220 balls, 7 fours; Joshua Da Silva 54 – 165 minutes, 129 balls, 5 fours; Rahkeem Cornwall 13; Lasith Embuldeniya 5-46, Ramesh Mendis 4-64).

Toss: Sri Lanka.

Player Of The Match: Dimuth Karunaratne.

Points: Sri Lanka 12, West Indies 0.

2nd Test: November 29 – December 3. Sri Lanka won by 164 runs.

Sri Lanka 204 (61.3 overs) (Pathum Nissanka 73 – 199 minutes, 148 balls, 5 fours, 1 six; Dimuth Karunaratne 42, Angelo Mathews 29, Oshada Fernando 18, Suranga Lakmal 12, Charith Asalanka 10; Veerasammy Permaul 5-35, Jomel Warrican 4-50) and 345/9 declared (121.4 overs) (Dhananjaya de Silva 155 not out – 377 minutes, 262 balls, 11 fours, 2 sixes; Pathum Nissanka 66 – 217 minutes, 154 balls, 4 fours; Lasith Embuldeniya 39, Ramesh Mendis 25, Charith Asalanka 19, Oshada Fernando 14; Veerasammy Permaul 3-106, Roston Chase 2-82).

West Indies 253 (104.2 overs) (Kraigg Brathwaite 72 – 269 minutes, 185 balls, 9 fours; Jermaine Blackwood 44, Kyle Mayers 36 not out, Nkrumah Bonner 35, Shai Hope 22, Veerasammy Permaul 15, Roston Chase 10; Ramesh Mendis 6-70, Praveen Jayawickrama 2-59, Lasith Embuldeniya 2-94) and 132 (56.1 overs) (Nkrumah Bonner 44, Jermaine Blackwood 36, Shai Hope 16, Kemar Roach 13; Lasith Embuldeniya 5-35, Ramesh Mendis 5-66).

Toss: Sri Lanka.

Player Of The Match: Dhananjaya de Silva.

Player of The Series: Ramesh Mendis.

Points: Sri Lanka 12, West Indies 0.

Keith Holder is a veteran, award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering local, regional and International cricket since 1980 as a writer and commentator. He has compiled statistics on the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 (rebranded Elite in 2012) Championship for four decades and provides statistics and stories for the BCA website (www.barbadoscricket.org).
Email: Keithfholder@gmail.com

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