Sonal Dinusha, Kusal Mendis extend Sri Lanka’s advantage

Sonal Dinusha, Kusal Mendis extend Sri Lanka's advantage

Sonal Dinusha and Kusal Mendis added 143 runs for the sixth wicket to help Sri Lanka dominate the second Test in Antigua. The partnership allowed the visitors to declare at 549/9, then dismiss West Indies opener Brandon King.

After West Indies struck twice late on day one, Sri Lanka began day two aggressively. Dinusha smashed the third ball for a boundary, while Kusal drove Alzarri Joseph down the ground and added two more boundaries off him. Kusal also hit Shamar Joseph for a six and a four. West Indies dropped a regulation chance when John Campbell put down Kusal on 23.

Both batters reached half-centuries in the second session. Kusal, reaching his milestone with a six, hit another off Roston Chase. He fell after drinks, edging to the stumps. Milan Rathnayake resisted as Sri Lanka passed 500. Dinusha, hitting back-to-back boundaries in the 90s, missed a century after getting a leading edge. Sri Lanka batted seven overs after tea before declaring near 550.

West Indies faced 24 overs. Asitha Fernando had King edge to second slip, but John Campbell (31*) and Kavem Hodge (6*, surviving two dropped chances) held firm.

Brief Scores: West Indies 58/1 (John Campbell 31*; Asitha Fernando 1-11) trail Sri Lanka 549/9 decl. (Lahiru Udara 188, Sonal Dinusha 92, Kamindu Mendis 84, Kusal Mendis 69) by 491 runs