Shai Hope and Justin Greaves shared an unbeaten 174-run partnership for the fifth wicket to lead West Indies to 318 for four in its first innings at stumps on the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

The host still trails Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 549 for nine declared by 231 runs, but Hope and Greaves ensured West Indies ended a slow-moving day in a strong position at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Hope was unbeaten on 86, while Greaves remained 85 not out, with the pair closing in on its fifth and third Test centuries, respectively. Their partnership is also approaching their career-best stand of 196, achieved against New Zealand in Christchurch in December.

On a day of measured progress, only three wickets fell as West Indies added 260 runs. Just 13 wickets have fallen across the first three days of the Test.

West Indies leads the two-Test series after winning the opening match by an innings and 217 runs. With Sri Lanka needing victory to level the series, the onus was on the visitor to force the pace, but wickets proved difficult to come by on a placid surface.

West Indies resumed on 58 for one, with John Campbell and Kavem Hodge adding 89 runs for the second wicket. Only one wicket fell in the opening session as Campbell struck his fourth Test half-century.

Campbell was the more aggressive of the two, particularly against the short ball, while Hodge remained watchful. Campbell pulled Asitha Fernando for six over mid-wicket before reaching his half-century from 100 balls with another pulled boundary off Milan Rathnayake.

His innings ended close to lunch when he holed out to mid-wicket off Fernando for 72. Campbell’s 154-ball innings included nine fours and two sixes.

Hodge, meanwhile, endured long periods without scoring and successfully overturned an lbw decision before eventually falling for 31 from 139 deliveries.

Prabath Jayasuriya then dismissed Campbell and Amir Jangoo, who made nine, in the space of around four overs to leave West Indies in trouble at 144 for four.

Hope and Greaves, however, shut Sri Lanka out for the remainder of the day. The pair combined patience with timely aggression as the pitch continued to offer little assistance to the bowlers.

Hope reached his half-century from 90 balls, hitting five boundaries, while Greaves followed him to the milestone from 85 deliveries with six fours.

Jayasuriya finished the day with figures of two for 77 from 36 overs after another demanding spell.

Earlier in the Test, Sri Lanka went past 500 for the first time in West Indies before declaring at 549 for nine. Lahiru Udara led the way with 188, while Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis and Sonal Dinusha also scored half-centuries.

Published on Jul 06, 2026