GALLE: Sri Lankan spinners fired back at West Indian batting line-up on day 3 of the second test match here on Wednesday, dismissing them for 253.
West Indies resumed at an overnight score of 69/1, with their batters Kraigg Brathwaite and Nkrumah Bonner adding 68 runs to their team’s total before Bonner was dismissed on 35 by Mendis. Brathwaite also fell relatively soon as the batter was dismissed on 72 by Lasith Embuldeniya when there were 166 runs on the board.
Shai Hope and Roston Chase intended to keep things under control, but failed when Mendis sent Chase back to the pavilion on 10. Soon after, Hope was also dismissed on 22, as Mendis trapped the batter in the legs.
Kyle Mayers, on the other hand, fought back and scored a valiant 36 not out. However, wickets were falling at an alarming rate, and the team was eventually dismissed for 253. Brathwaite was the team’s top scorer.
Mendis was the Lions’ standout performer, claiming a five-wicket haul, taking six wickets and initiating the collapse. Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama, on the other hand, were both extremely clinical, dismissing two batters each.
Sri Lankan batters, in reply, looked promising but could not get going as two run-outs halted them from a good start. The two batters who lost their wickets after being run-out were skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (6) and Oshada Fernando (14). The Lions’ first two wickets were taken for 39 runs. Pathum Nissanka (21*) and Charith Asalanka (1*) will resume their innings on day four.
