Jangoo, Chase partnership put WI in control after early wobble

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

Amir Jangoo and captain Roston Chase scored crucial unbeaten knocks as West Indies recovered from a nervy start to take control of the opening Test match against Sri Lanka at the end of the second day’s play yesterday.

The Windies were precariously placed at 168 for five at one stage at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, after pacers Asitha Fernando and Milan Rathnayake threatened to run through their usually fragile batting lineup.

However, Jangoo and Chase shared an unbroken stand of 103 runs to rescue their side as the Windies recovered to finish the day on 271 for five, needing a further 37 runs to overtake Sri Lanka on first innings.

In a day of topsy turvy action, the home side started in positive fashion, with openers John Campbell and Brandon King giving them a solid start.

The pair carried the Windies past 50 and to the first drinks break with little alarm, but as has become the norm, the stand was broken almost immediately upon resumption when King drove at a wide delivery from Rathnayake and was caught at cover for 31 to leave the score 58 for one.

Campbell and new batsman Kavem Hodge maintained the momentum, carrying the Windies to lunch at 89 for one.

 But once again another wicket tumbled after the restart, with Campbell caught at long-on for 39 in his attempt to hit left-arm spinner Sonal Dinusha out of the ground to make the score 97 for two.

With just five runs added to the total, Hodge was back in the pavilion for 19 after chopping a delivery from Rathnayake onto his stumps.

Amir Jangoo and his compatriot Joshua Da Silva set about rebuilding the innings during a partnership of 52 runs, with Da Silva fortunate to survive a leg before wicket appeal when he was 11 after being given out, with the review showing the ball narrowly missing the stumps.

They looked set to carry the Windies to tea in the ascendancy until Da Silva threw his wicket away by chasing a wide delivery from Fernando and was caught at cover for 20.

Justin Greaves’ stay at the crease was brief, although he could count himself a bit unlucky to be dismissed by a superb catch by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis off the bowling of Fernando, to see the Windies limp to tea on 168 for five.

The match almost followed the same pattern as the previous two sessions, but a thin inside edge saved Jangoo from being leg before wicket in the first over after tea.

Jangoo moved to 46 and carried the West Indies past the 200-run mark in nervy fashion with a slash that sailed over the slip corridor for four and five balls later he brought up his maiden Test century off 111 balls by exquisitely driving Rajitha through cover for another boundary.

The duo then navigated a tricky final session of play, with Fernando and Rathnayake testing them with the second new ball in the final four overs of the day.

Jangoo ended on 78 not out off 174 balls with seven fours, while Chase was unbeaten on 42 from 105 balls with two boundaries.

Fernando has so far taken 2-25, while Rathnayaka has claimed 2-45.