The West Indies hung tough on the final day of the second Test in St Lucia last week to ensure a share of their series with Sri Lanka and they will be looking to get a full whack of it when they take on the Asian side in the day-night match in Barbados which begins on Saturday.
Sri Lanka couldn’t get themselves over the line amid a controversial Test match so the best they can do is share the series but they might consider themselves fortunate to have that opportunity. After the events of last week they will be desperate to win here.
West Indies
You have to give a lot of credit to the West Indies side. One thing they have been questioned about in recent times is a lack of heart, spirit or fight but they showed all three things when grinding out a draw on the final day. They were helped by a generous second batting effort from Sri Lanka and the conditions but you need that luck at times.
The one thing they won’t be happy with was the number of batsmen who got starts but who never went on to convert them and that is something they will want to rectify here. You would think their seamers will be licking their lips to get the ball in their hands under lights but it is important West Indies play for the win rather than just settle for a draw.
Sri Lanka
Given everything that went on in St Lucia, Sri Lanka did pretty well to keep their minds on the job for as long as they did in that match. The fallout of the ball changing incident may well continue to run but if they have anything about them it should fire them up for this match and if so we should see the best of them.
The big thing from St Lucia was that their batting finally offered a couple of solid goes. Their first innings wasn’t fantastic but it was good enough to keep them in the game and their second innings was almost enough to win them it. The acid problem, as it always is whenever they go away from home, is finding bowling combinations that can take 20 wickets.
Team News
West Indies could consider giving Miguel Cummins a rest with him yet to take a wicket in the series. Keemo Paul is waiting for his chance and he might just get that in this match in an otherwise unchanged side.
Sri Lanka might be down to their third choice captain in this match. Dinesh Chandimal is suspended after the ball tampering fiasco of the last match while Rangana Herath has been ruled out with a split webbing. Suranga Lakmal could take charge.
Kensington Oval
This will be the 53rd time that this ground has staged Test match cricket but it is the first time it will have done so under lights. West Indies have a good record here with 24 wins to 11 defeats with 17 draws. Amazingly this is the first time Sri Lanka will have played the longer format on this ground.
Usually in Test cricket this is a good wicket for everyone. Batsmen can score quickly when they get in but there is always some pace and bounce for the quicks and then there is turn on offer later in the match. The groundsman usually gets his wicket spot on.
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Betting
I’ll finish the series with a couple of bets. I’m amazed there is still 10/11 on offer for the West Indies to attain a first innings lead. They have led after the first innings in both matches so far and now Sri Lanka are without their best two batsmen with Chandimal and Angelo Mathews both missing. West Indies have batted well throughout the series and I expect them to complete the clean sweep of first innings leads.
The confidence of Shannon Gabriel must be sky high right now after he claimed 13 wickets in St Lucia and I see no reason why he won’t lead the West Indies bowling figures in the first innings here too. He snaffled five scalps in St Lucia in the first dig and he has had batsmen hopping around all series. There are challengers but in the main you would think Kemar Roach is the main one. Gabriel looks to be in better rhythm at the minute so I’ll take him to be top West Indies bowler.
Tips
WON – Back West Indies First Inns Lead for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Bet365
Back S.Gabriel Top West Indies First Inns Bowler for a 2/10 stake at 3.50 with William Hill
Back him here:
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