Amir Jangoo and captain Roston Chase produced a batting display for the ages to put West Indies in a strong position to push for victory against Sri Lanka at the end of play on the third day of the opening Test here on Saturday.
The pair shared a spectacular, record-breaking partnership of 401 for the sixth wicket at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, to carry the home side to a mammoth first innings total of 626 for nine before Chase opted to declare.
Armed with a massive 318-run first innings lead, pacer Jayden Seales then further stamped the Windies’ dominance by picking up the wicket of Pathum Nissanka for just three to leave the visitors 15 for one and facing a herculean task of avoiding a heavy defeat on Sunday’s penultimate day.
The day undoubtedly belonged to Jangoo and Chase, with their partnership being the highest in Test cricket history for the sixth wicket, surpassing the previous best of 399 between England’s Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow against South Africa in 2016.
It was also the West Indies’ second highest partnership in Test cricket, trailing only the 446-run stand between Sir Garfield Sobers and Conrad Hunte against Pakistan in 1958.
The Windies would have been targeting a handy first innings lead over their opponents after resuming the day on 271 for five, 37 runs adrift of Sri Lanka’s total of 308.
With just the fast bowlers to come, Jangoo, who started the day on 78 and Chase, who resumed on 42, knew a major partnership was needed between them if the West Indies were to post a formidable total.
Jangoo, playing in just his third Test, continued from where he left off the previous day, mixing solid defense with warranted aggression.
He moved into the 90s and gave West Indies a one-run lead by driving left-arm spinner Sonal Dinusha through the off side for four and in the next over he brought up his maiden Test century by flicking pacer Kasun Rajitha for a boundary in front of square.
Together they carried the Windies to 356 for five at lunch, as Sri Lanka’s bowling attack – missing their fastest bowler in Lahiru Kumara who suffered a hamstring injury on Friday – toiled without success.
Chase eventually brought up his sixth Test century by driving Milan Rathnayake through cover for two runs as the West Indies progressed to 411 for five.
The skipper survived a nervous moment shortly after when he was dropped by Kamindu Mendis at first slip, but the delivery was ruled to be a no-ball in any case.
The duo brought up their 300-run partnership and the Windies maintained their grip on the contest, progressing to 492 for five at tea.
After the break, Jangoo secured a double hundred with a single to square leg off Dinusha and celebrated the milestone by leaping and punching the air.
Batting with a sense of urgency thereafter, Jangoo hit Rathanayake over deep backward square for a massive six, but lost his wicket the next ball attempting the same shot, with a leading edge sending the ball ballooning into the air for wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis to take a straightforward catch, moving the score to 569 for six.
In all, Jangoo’s knock of 233 lasted just over nine and a half hours and he faced 373 balls and struck 19 fours and three sixes.
Alzarri Joseph then entertained the crowd by hitting two sixes and one four in his cameo of 21 off 20 balls before he too became a victim of Rathnayake.
With a declaration in sight, Chase fell six runs short of a well-deserved double century when he was bowled by Dinusha for 194 after missing his attempted sweep shot.
Chase faced 324 balls and hit 13 fours and two sixes during his over eight and a half hours innings.
The only bright spark for Sri Lanka was Rathnayake, who claimed his first five-wicket haul in Tests (5-124) when he trapped Kemar Roach lbw for a duck that ultimately led to the declaration.
Faced with a nervy few minutes before the end of play, Nissanka edged Seales’ first ball of the second over behind to the wicketkeeper to be out for three.
Things could have been worse for the visitors had Jangoo managed to hold on to sharp catch at short leg off the bowling of Kemar Roach that would have accounted for Nishan Madushka before he had scored.