Last updated on Sat, 16 Jun, 2018, 07:22 AM
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Devon Smith and Kraigg Brathwaite put on a 59-run stand for the opening wicket. © AFP
What was your Friday evening like? One of revelry? Watching the Spain-Portugal football game? Celebrating Eid? Most things but witnessing Day 2 of Gros Islet Test would have been a more productive utilization of your time, if entertainment is what you sought. Spare some sympathy for the sparse crowd that had gathered at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium only to be in middle of some dour cricket and largely seeking shelter from four spells of rain that interrupted play.
Only 42.3 overs were bowled through the course of the day where Devon Smith stroked his seventh Test fifty, Kasun Rajitha bagged his maiden Test wicket as Windies crawled their way to 118 for 2. Only the first session saw a full period of play unfold without any breaks, where Kraigg Brathwaite and Smith waded through some testing bowling by Suranga Lakmal and Lahiru Kumara. Rajitha swung the ball both ways, but was largely ineffective as he failed to make the batsmen play him as often as he would have liked. With Smith and Brathwaite in no hurry to push the scoring rate, it came as well as they would have liked. It took Windies 100 balls to stroke their first boundary
Nonetheless, it was the debutant who managed to break the dour partnership, which had put on 59 for the first wicket. It was an unplayable delivery which came in and kissed Brathwaite’s bat and headed to the ‘keeper. Windies went to Lunch at 65 for 1.
Rain stopped play for the first time right at the end of the break and ate into two hours of play. Kieran Powell and Smith pushed the scoring rate thereafter, managing 27 runs in 5.5 overs, before play was stopped again. There were only brief periods of aggression amidst longer spells of no-risk cricket. Powell fell soon after the break when Kumara got a much-deserved wicket, inducing an outside edge, and Kusal Mendis took a fine low catch at second slip.
Play stopped again and stumps were drawn with the hosts on 118 for 2.
By the way, how was the world outside Gros Islet?
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 253 lead Windies 118/2 (Devon Smith 53*; Kasun Rajitha 1-18) by 157 runs.
