Port of Spain: West Indies completed a crushing 226-run victory over Sri Lanka just after lunch on the final day of the first Test here Sunday as the tourists surrendered meekly following the demise of century-maker Kusal Mendis (102, 210b, 10×4, 2×6).
Set a daunting target of 453, the Sri Lankans crashed from 189 for three to be dismissed for 226 just after lunch, suffering their first Test match defeat at the hands of the Caribbean side for ten years, when they were also beaten at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.
Off-spinning all-rounder Roston Chase (4/15) triggered the final capitulation in which five wickets fell for just eight runs.
Resuming at an overnight 176/3, any hope of the visitors seriously challenging a world record target effectively evaporated with Mendis’ dismissal. Even the prospects of saving the match or at the very least taking the game into the final session disappeared with the loss of three more wickets before the break.
Brief scores
West Indies 414/8 decl (Shane Dowrich 125 n o) and 223/7 decl (Kieran Powell 88) bt Sri Lanka 185 (Dinesh Chandimal 44) and 226 (Kusal Mendis 102; Rostan Chase 4/15) by 226 runs.
