West Indies VS Sri Lanka Test Series 2021
1st Test Played at New Sound Antigua, West Indies 
Scorecard At Stumps Day 1 
Sri Lanka Ist Innings 169 All Out in 69.4 Overs (Lahiru Thirimanne 70, Niroshan Dickwala 32, Jason Holder 5/27, Kemar Roach 3/47) 
West Indies 1st Innings 13/0 in 13 Overs 
West Indies trails by 156 Runs with all 10 first Innings Wickets Intact. 

A high quality disciplined fast bowling attack crushed Sri Lanka to well below par first innings score of 169 in the first innings of the first day of the Antigua test. 

With mainstream players back in action West Indies dominance flashed back the memories of the great old days of Caribbean Cricket. Roach was superb at the start. Gabriel, Joseph also bowled tight. Finally, very accurate Holder delivered the killer punches towards the end. Only the painstaking 70 of opener Thirimanne saved Lankans from total disaster. Dickwella coming to bat at seven tried his best to resist scoring 32. But it was too little too less. By then Lankans were tottering. The pressure created throughout the first two sessions took out any the gloss of Lankan batting. Holder with accuracy picked four of his five wickets in post tea session including Thirimanne and Dickwalla. Holder (5/27) and Roach ( 3/47)  crushed Sri Lanka to 169 all out.

West Indies openers batted with patience over the last 13 overs till stumps. Braithwaite and Campbell did not need to play any extravagant strokes. West Indies is now in total control of the match.

It may be mentioned here that West Indies played the first test after COVID break against England. There also Holder spearheading West Indies attack won the test against strong England. But after that West Indies failed keeping the momentum and lost almost all matches against England and New Zealand. West Indies visited Bangladesh with a second-string squad as mainstream players opted staying out for COVID concern and personal reasons. Much weaker West Indies got Bangla washed in ODI series. But surprisingly bouncing back white washed Bangladesh in two matches test series.

With an eye to ICC Championships due in 2021 and 2022 West Indies brought back their rock rolling blasters from everywhere. Srilanka got lost T20 and ODI series. Now it appears that West Indies may also win the test series as well.

We are aware what a great team West Indies had in 1970s and 1980s. It will be a joy if present generation West Indies grow to a team challenging India, Australia, England and New Zealand once again. 

BDST: 1415 HRS, MAR 22, 2021
SMS