West Indies Turn to New Ball Strategy After Udara’s Dominant Dayone Stand]

The second new ball is three overs old, and West Indies are pinning their hopes on it to shift the momentum on the second morning of the second and final Test against Sri Lanka in North Sound. After Lahiru Udara’s match-winning 188 and his 215-run partnership with Kamindu Mendis for the third wicket made batting conditions increasingly difficult for the home bowlers on day one, the Windies are looking for a breakthrough.

The plan is to leverage the conditions, said West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul following the first day’s play, where Sri Lanka ended strongly at 338 for 5 after losing the opening Test by an innings and 217 runs. “We bowled well with the new ball early on, taking two wickets [Sri Lanka were 25 for 2 after eight overs], but now we’re using the second new ball on the second day, which will be crucial for us,” Rampaul explained. “Our goal is to take at least two wickets with it and get those lower-order batters out. However, maintaining economy rates will be vital—we need to balance aggressiveness with defensive discipline using the new ball to prevent them from building a solid start.”

There’s encouraging precedent. Dhananjaya de Silva fell second ball after the new ball change at the start of the 81st over. At lunch on day one, Sri Lanka were 99 for 2 before accelerating to 224 for 2 by the end of the second session—a concerning 125-run surge without losing a wicket in 23 overs, driven largely by Udara and Mendis. “We struggled just after lunch, allowing over 100 runs,” Rampaul noted. “That period is our main concern. We bowled well after tea, picking up two wickets, but we were inconsistent with our lengths in that post-lunch phase.”

Jayden Seales claimed his maiden Test wicket of the match with de Silva’s dismissal—his 100th Test wicket overall, making him only the second-fastest West Indies bowler to reach the milestone in terms of balls bowled, behind Ian Bishop. “Jayden is a dedicated worker who constantly seeks improvement,” Rampaul said. “He studies the game closely and plans meticulously against opposition. The wait to move from 95 to 100 wickets was frustrating for the bowler, who last appeared in Test cricket in December last year.”

While Seales’ milestone provided solace, Udara dominated the day. The 24-year-old, playing only his third Test after replacing injured Pathum Nissanka, delivered the performance of his burgeoning career. With 19 first-class centuries in 122 attempts but limited international impact prior—78 runs across three Test innings with a best of 40—Udara surpassed himself. “It’s incredible to score my first Test hundred,” he said. “In my third Test, I wanted to step up. I focused on playing straight and capitalizing on poor deliveries. That’s how I approached it.”

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