06/28/26 02:48:00
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06/28 14:47 CDT Kemar Roach takes his 300th test wicket as West Indies
overwhelms Sri Lanka in the 1st test
Kemar Roach takes his 300th test wicket as West Indies overwhelms Sri Lanka in
the 1st test
NORTH SOUND, Antigua (AP) --- Veteran fast bowler Kemar Roach claimed his 300th
test wicket as West Indies rolled Sri Lanka for 101 in its second innings
Sunday to win the first test by an innings and 217 runs and take a 1-0 lead in
the two-test series.
Roach took 4-51 and with fellow seamers Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph and
Alzarri Joseph combined to end Sri Lanka's innings in only 31 overs, just after
lunch on the fourth day, as the West Indies claimed their sixth-largest win in
tests.
Dinesh Chandimal, who made 43, was one of only two Sri Lanka batters to reach
double figures. Sonal Dinusha finished on 12 not out.
West Indies set up the win on the third day when Amir Jangoo and captain Roston
Chase shared a world record 401-run sixth wicket partnership which allowed the
home side to declare at 626-9, with a first innings lead of 318.
The pitch had looked particularly placid on the third day but Roach, Seales and
the two Josephs caused the ball to seam and swing Sunday. Roach, who came into
the day with 296 test wickets, was almost unplayable though the Sri Lanka
resistance was thin.
Captain Dhananjaya da Silva, who made 120 in Sri Lanka's first innings of 308,
was out for a seven-ball duck.
The 37-year-old Roach bowled Asitha Fernando to claim his 300th wicket and
leave Sri Lanka 84-9 as victory rapidly approached. He is the fifth West Indian
after Courtney Walsh, Curtley Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall and Lance Gibbs to
reach the 300-wicket milestone.
"It has been a long journey," Roach said. "Well done to the team and Roston
Chase who had his first win as captain and first win for Daren Sammy as coach.
"I wouldn't be here if not for these guys. Thanks to my family and I know my
mom is watching. She's proud. Thanks to everyone, I really appreciate it and
I'm glad I made you proud in some way."
The West Indies' quicks left no doubt about the result when Sri Lanka limped to
81-6 at lunch.
Resuming on 15-1, Sri Lanka lost both overnight batters in the space of four
balls when Roach had Nishan Madushka pinned leg before wicket with his fourth
ball and Jayden Seales found the leading edge of nightwatcher Kasun Rajitha
with his first delivery from the other end.
Shamar Joseph then used the favorable overcast bowling conditions to perfection
when his impeccable swing undid Kamindu Mendis, who left a delivery that swung
back enough to knock back the off stump. He then had first innings
century-maker captain Dhananjaya de Silva trapped lbw for a seven-ball duck.
Alzarri Joseph continued to challenge the Sri Lankan middle-order with some
sharp bowling and just before the players came off the field due to brief spell
of rain the right-arm fast bowler hit the top of Kusal Mendis' off stump as the
batter tried to leave the ball.
The collapse continued apace after lunch. Chandimal fell in the second over
after the break, caught at second slip from a sharp ball from Roach. Milan
Rathanayake and Fernando perished for ducks and Seales wrapped up the match
when he bowled the limping fast bowler Lahiru Kumara, who suffered a hamstring
strain on the second day.
West Indies had lost seven of its eight test matches in the World Test
Championship but has now moved off the bottom of the points table.
The second test begins at the same venue on Friday.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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