Brathwaite, Mayers notch fifties as West Indies’ lead crosses 250

West Indies lost two early wickets but are sitting comfortably in control of the match with a 165-run lead

Lunch West Indies 69 for 2 (Brathwaite 22*, Mayers 9*, Lakmal 1-13) and 354 (Brathwaite 126, Cornwall 73, Lakmal 4-94) lead Sri Lanka 258 (Thirimanne 55, Nissanka 51, Roach 3-58) by 165 runs

West Indies took the two remaining Sri Lanka wickets inside five overs to establish a 96-run first-innings lead, and then stretched that to 165 by lunch to sit comfortably in control of the match. They lost two wickets, and have (at the very least) moved Nkrumah Bonner down the order after he picked up an injury in the field. But such is the heft of their lead, they will be thinking of getting Sri Lanka’s batsmen in again late today.

Perhaps the biggest blow in the session for Sri Lanka, however, was the loss of Lasith Embuldeniya to what seemed to be a serious groin injury. Chasing down a ball in the outfield during the sixth over of West Indies’ innings, he made a sliding stop, and then writhed on the ground in extreme agony, clutching the inside of his left thigh. He could not even be helped off the field, in the end – he had to be stretchered off, still in substantial discomfort. There has been no official word, but such was the pain he appeared to be suffering, it seems unlikely he will play a further part in this match.

West Indies were held firm, as in the first innings, by Kraigg Brathwaite, who strolled to 22 off 66 without seeming in much discomfort against Sri Lanka’s seamers. He hit one four, carving a shortish Dhananjaya de Silva ball through cover. The only scare was a possible run out. On seven, he was turned back by Jermaine Blackwood, but the throw from deep square leg was difficult for the fielders backing up to collect, and Brathwaite survived, though he would have been well short of the crease had Sri Lanka been efficient.

At the other end, John Campbell scratched around for 24 deliveries before edging Suranga Lakmal behind, before Blackwood (promoted to No. 3 in Bonner’s absence), played a pained 41 ball innings, before eventually nicking a Dushmantha Chameera bouncer to the wicketkeeper, to be out for 18. He had also been dropped by Lahiru Thirimanne at slip off Vishwa Fernando for 7.

Earlier in the day, Pathum Nissanka had completed his half-century off the third ball, having begun on 49. But Sri Lanka could only add eight runs to their team total before being dismissed. Kemar Roach took both wickets, in his second over of the day. Nissanka was caught at deep square leg off a bouncer, and No. 11 Vishwa edged behind two balls later.