Dhammika Prasad strikes after Brathwaite six-for

Rain forces play to end early on third day with West Indies 20 for 1, chasing 244 for victory against Sri Lanka

Kraigg Brathwaite celebrates a wicket.

Sri Lanka struck early but play was called off after tea due to rain on the third day of the second Test, with the West Indies 20 for 1 at the P Sara Oval in Colombo on Saturday (October 24). That left the visiting side with 224 more to get after being set a target of 244 to level the two-match Test series.

The West Indies bowlers did well to restrict Sri Lanka to 206 in the home side’s second innings, but lost Kraigg Brathwaite in the nine overs possible before close of play. The match will commence 15 minutes earlier on the fourth day to make up for some of the time lost due to rain.

Dhammika Prasad gave Sri Lanka the breakthrough when he trapped Brathwaite in front for 3. Shai Hope played some crisp strokes and remained unbeaten on 17. If the West Indies chase is successful, it will be its first Test win in Sri Lanka. 

Earlier in the day, Brathwaite dented Sri Lanka with figures of 6 for 29 as the home side was bowled out shortly after lunch. 

Sri Lanka started the day on 76 for 2 but lost both Kaushal Silva (32) and Dinesh Chandimal (12) in the space of three balls, just four overs into the day. Jomel Warrican, the debutant left-arm spinner, had Silva caught at first slip while Jerome Taylor had Chandimal caught behind after a 44-ball vigil.

The home side then regrouped as Milinda Siriwardana and Angelo Mathews added 67 runs for the fourth wicket. Siriwardana, playing his second Test match, was the more attacking of the two, hitting three boundaries and two sixes in his knock of 42. All the while, Mathews quietly accumulated runs, making sure no further damage was done.

Brathwaite broke the stand when he had Siriwardana caught by Jermaine Blackwood at slip in his second over, but by then, Sri Lanka had pushed the lead beyond 180.

Brathwaite continued to spin the Sri Lanka batsmen out after lunch. Rangana Herath, who added 30 runs for the seventh wicket with Mathews, was caught by Blackwood at slip for 17. Dilruwan Perera, who hit a six off Brathwaite, was caught two balls later by Kemar Roach at deep midwicket trying for another maximum.

Mathews then tried a reverse sweep and became the third batsman in the innings to fall to the combination of Blackwood-Brathwaite, departing for a well-compiled 46. 

Jerome Taylor and Jomel Warrican finished with two wickets each.

To see the full scorecard, please click here.