Sri Lanka vs West Indies, 2nd Test, Day 5: Embuldeniya, Mendis secure Sobers-Tissera Trophy

Dec 03, 2021

Sri Lanka vs West Indies, 2nd Test, Day 5: Embuldeniya, Mendis secure Sobers-Tissera Trophy Image

On Day 5 at Galle, Lasith Embuldeniya (5-35) and Ramesh Mendis (5-66) shared all 10 wickets to bowl out the West Indies for 132. Sri Lanka won the game by 164 runs, claiming 100% of the World Test Championship points on offer. They also won regained the Sobers-Tissera Trophy, and became the first team in the WTC 2021-23 to win a series.

Sri Lanka declared early in the day, on 345/9. Dhananjaya de Silva remained unbeaten on 155. Asked to chase 297, West Indies lost Kraigg Brathwaite (6) early, but Jermaine Blackwood and Nkrumah Bonner steadied the ship with a 50-run partnership for the second wicket. 

Then, in the last over before lunch, Blackwood (36) edged to de Silva at slip. 

Bonner and Shai Hope then batted for over 10 overs before the former was undone by Mendis. Roston Chase holed out to Oshada Fernando off the next ball. In the same over, Kyle Mayers' outside edge went to de Silva as Mendis rocked West Indies with three wickets in an over.

The last eight West Indian batters could only add 40. Embuldeniya got the better of Jomel Warrican to bowl out the tourists for 132. Other than scoring a brilliant century that set up the platform for this victory, de Silva also took four catches in the second innings. Mendis finished the two-match series with 18 wickets. 

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 204 (Pathum Nissanka 73; Veerasammy Permaul 5-35, Jomel Warrican 4-50) and 345/9 decl. (Dhananjaya de Silva 155*; Veerasammy Permaul 3-106) beat West Indies 253 (Kraigg Brathwaite 72; Ramesh Mendis 6-70) and 132 (Nkrumah Bonner 44; Lasith Embuldeniya 5-35; Ramesh Mendis 5-66) by 164 runs. Player of the Match: Dhananjaya de Silva.

Sri Lanka won the series by 2-0. Player of the Series: Ramesh Mendis