Jangoo’s 233 and Chase’s 194 power West Indies to big lead over Sri Lanka

Jangoo 233, Chase 194 put West Indies in commanding position

(Cricinfo) – Amir Jangoo amassed 233, Roston Chase hit 194, and through a record-breaking 401-run partnership, the pair slow-roasted Sri Lanka on day three in Antigua. Their gargantuan stand delivered West Indies to a position of extraordinary strength, securing them a 318-run first innings lead. That in the four overs they got to bowl at Sri […] The post Jangoo 233, Chase 194 put West Indies in commanding position appeared first on Kaieteur News.

4 hours ago

Jangoo and Chase put West Indies in control against Sri Lanka

Antigua and Barbuda (AFP) — A double-century by relative newcomer Amir Jangoo and 194 from captain Roston Chase put the West Indies in a commanding position with the sixth-wicket pair's partnership of 401 lifting the home side to a mammoth first innings total of 626 for nine declared on the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Saturday. Sri Lanka, who looked a dispirited lot, completely bereft of ideas in the field for almost the entire day, lost Pathum Nissanka to Jayden Seales before the close of play, leaving them at 15 for one in the second innings, trailing by 303 runs going into day four. "I am not one to really put pressure on myself. Even though I wasn't getting the runs, my priority has been to get the best out of my teammates," said Chase in putting his sixth Test century, more than seven years after his fifth, into context. "Of course, it's good not just to lead by words but on the field of play as well and we have been talking a lot about finally getting our first win in this World Test Championship (cycle)." On another sun-drenched day, Jangoo and Chase took full toll of their listless opponents, who were again without the services of injured seamer Lahiru Kumara. Yet the visitors' overall effort revealed a lack of imagination from captain Dhananjaya de Silva through the fruitless morning and afternoon sessions as the West Indies pair accumulated runs with increasing ease, having started the day at 271 for five. Nothing, though, could diminish the significance of the stand by the compact left-hander seeking to take full advantage of an unexpected opportunity and the slim, upright right-handed skipper who turned his first Test century for more than seven years into a truly special innings. Such was the level of their dominance that it seemed they could have batted through the entire day, having come together at the start of play after tea on the second day when the West Indies were labouring at 168 for five in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 308, which then seemed a substantial effort. Indeed, they were only separated when Jangoo, who transformed his maiden Test century into a memorable 233, skied an attempted swing to leg off Milan Rathnayaka for wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis to pouch a comfortable catch. This was a failed effort to repeat the shot of a ball before when he hoisted the medium-pacer for six over deep backwards square-leg to lift the partnership to 401. It now stands as the second-highest partnership in Test cricket for any wicket by the West Indies, bettered only by the 446 put on by Garfield Sobers and Conrad Hunte for the second wicket against Pakistan in Kingston, Jamaica in 1958 and just two runs ahead of the 399 amassed by Sobers and his mentor, Frank Worrell, for the fourth wicket against England in their native Bridgetown, Barbados in 1960. That one hook for six before Jangoo's demise also put him and Chase at the top of the list for the highest sixth-wicket partnership in all Test cricket, surpassing the 399 by the England pair of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow against South Africa in Cape Town in the New Year's Test of 2016. Having only gotten into the final 11 for this match when established middle-order batsman Shai Hope was ruled out on the first morning with a strained left shoulder, Jangoo's innings of more than eight hours at the crease occupied 373 deliveries, embellished by three sixes and 19 fours. Faced with a rising tide of regional dissent towards his so far unsuccessful Test captaincy, compounded by a lack of runs off his own bat, Chase's disappointment at falling six short of a double-century, bowled round his legs by spinner Sonal Dinusha, would have been eased by the volume of his contribution, an innings which occupied 324 deliveries and was highlighted by two sixes and 13 fours. Amid the carnage, Rathnayaka completed a deserved five-wicket haul, trapping Kemar Roach leg-before to achieve the personal milestone and prompt Chase's declaration.

9 hours ago

Jangoo, Chase keep West Indies in touch against Sri Lanka

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA (AFP) — Resolute batting by Amir Jangoo and captain Roston Chase kept the West Indies within reach of Sri Lanka's first innings total as the home side closed day two of the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua at 271 for five. Sri Lanka, seeking their first-ever Test series triumph in the Caribbean, were dismissed for 308 on the opening day. Jangoo, playing in only his second Test, will resume on the third morning on 78 in partnership with Chase (42 not out). Their sixth-wicket stand has already added 103 important runs to the home side's effort after they were struggling at 168 for five heading into the final session of the day. On a pitch playing slower and lower with each passing hour after offering considerable assistance to the faster bowlers early on the first day, the batting of Jangoo and Chase lacked flair, although their watchful determination was exactly what the West Indies needed to resurrect their innings after most of the top-order batting contributed to their own demise. "While the wicket was really good, the bowlers were getting the ball to swing a lot, so once I was able to cope with that it was just about waiting for the balls in my area to score," said Jangoo in analysing his innings at the end of the day. "I definitely had to restrain myself as a batter," he added. "Playing the longer format of the game you have to be a lot tighter, a lot more compact. It got easier with the time spent out there but that was only because of the work put in ahead of the series." Sri Lanka suffered a significant setback at the start of the day when seamer Lahiru Kumara, only just returned from a lengthy period of recuperation from a leg injury, pulled up at the start of his second over and left the field. In his absence, Asitha Fernando and Milan Rathnayaka shouldered the bulk of the work by the pacers while Sonal Dinusha's left-armers earned the tourists their only wicket via spin on the day. West Indies openers John Campbell and Brandon King looked completely at ease in a stand of 58 by the end of the first hour's play. However, the first drinks break may have contributed to a lapse in concentration as King drove loosely to Rathnayaka to give a simple catch at short extra-cover. Campbell's demise with his score on 39 came when the left-hander attempted to heave a delivery from Dinusha out of the ground and was taken at long-on for 39. When Kavem Hodge played on to Rathnayaka, West Indies were unsteady at 102 for three just after lunch. Jangoo then found a useful partner in his Trinidad and Tobago captain, Joshua da Silva, in putting on 52 runs for the fourth wicket until the wicketkeeper-batsman was caught driving at cover off the persevering Fernando. There was more success for Fernando on the stroke of tea when Justin Greaves, caught in two minds, pulled out of a shot too late and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis came up with a good low catch to his right to shift the balance of play very much in favour of Sri Lanka. Yet they were to be frustrated by the West Indies' sixth-wicket pair as Jangoo and Chase sought to eliminate risks in successfully avoiding the late clatter of wickets which has become a familiar feature of recent West Indies batting efforts, especially through most of a chastening 2025 when the Caribbean side lost eight of 10 Test matches played. That abysmal run extinguished any hope, however unlikely, of challenging for a top two spot in the current World Test Championship cycle. For Sri Lanka, this second day of play will be a timely reminder of the enormity of the task they face away from the familiar confines of Colombo and Galle in their quest to make their WTC dream in 2027 a reality.  

1 day ago