West Indies attain 268-7 to steer Sri Lanka by 99 in 1st Test

Fast bowler Rahkeem Cornwall made an unbeaten half-century and mixed in a 90-run eighth-wicket partnership with Joshua Da Silva which guided the West Indies to a 99-run lead over Sri Lanka on the second day of the primary cricket Test.
Cornwall was 60 not out at stumps, the primary Antiguan to attain a Test half-century on the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
Wickekeeper Da Silva made 46 and held collectively the West Indies decrease center order as they edged previous Sri Lanka’s first innings of 169. The dwelling facet matched that whole with six wickets down and Cornwall and Da Silva carried them to 268-8 at stumps.
Da Silva’s affected person stand was an important of the innings till it was surpassed by Cornwall. He steadied the West Indies once they have been 133-5 and the match was nonetheless within the steadiness.
Cornwall had been decided to make an announcement with the bat. He informed an area reporter earlier than the match to “tell the world I’ve come to make a score.”
The burly 1.96-meter paceman was pretty much as good as his phrase, reaching his first take a look at 50 from 62 balls and breaking the mould on a day of sluggish scoring with 9 fours and two sixes.
“I know I have good batting skills,” Cornwall mentioned.
“I simply tried at first to bat with Joshua, attempt to get us to a very good rating and simply attempt to bat myself.
“I was confident. I’ve been putting in some work in the nets with the batting coach and I told myself I have to score some runs, I’m not doing as well as I can do with the bat.”

A maiden Test half-century in simply his tenth innings.
Well performed, Rahkeem Cornwall 👏#WIvSL | #WTC21 pic.twitter.com/btRj19RrAj
— ICC (@ICC) March 22, 2021
The partnership between Cornwall and Da Silva modified the course of the match. Earlier, Sri Lanka had bowled properly to comprise the West Indies’ batsmen.
A 56-run second wicket partnership between John Campbell (42) and Nkrumah Bonner (31) was the most effective effort by the West Indies prime order. But veteran Sri Lanka paceman Suranga Lakmal made inroads into the West Indies lineup, taking 5-45, his fourth five-wicket bag in exams.
Lakmal dismissed West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite (3), then eliminated Kyle Mayers when he regarded harmful on 45. He returned to bowl Jermaine Blackwood (2) and Jason Holder (19), leaving the West Indies 169-6. Alzarri Joseph (0) was his fifth wicket.
The West Indies have been 261-7 when Joshua was out shortly earlier than stumps, caught behind after being lured right into a unfastened shot by a brief ball from Dushmantha Chameera.